


A Mermaid's Tale

by eclipseblessed



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Romance, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Light Angst, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, Self-Indulgent, Slow Burn, eventually other characters will be around! and more things will be happening, i just like writing sitariel tbh, idk what i'm doing. but i like writing this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-05-20 20:23:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 30,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19384036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eclipseblessed/pseuds/eclipseblessed
Summary: Muriel is known to be a lone fisherman, content with the silent, slow rhythm that he has- but his life is changed and turned around when, during a routinely outing for fishing, something oddly heavy gets trapped in his net.A new bond begins- there's time to learn about and from each other, could this possibly develop into something else? But, wouldn't this bring trouble later?





	1. A Fateful Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> It's the first work I post here, oops. It's also being posted over at @eclipseblessed on tumblr!  
> Feel free to go and ask anything- we're quite polite and friendly- we also appreciate hearing thoughts!
> 
> real quick shoutout to one of my friends for encouraging me to post here!
> 
>  
> 
> **\- Tonatiuh**

The shore of Vesuvia usually is an active place; full of people enjoying the view, enjoying a calm visit to the beach and getting a bit away from the lively and quick-paced life that the nearby town offered. In an isolated spot in the distance, one could find a lighthouse and a cottage connected to it, very few people knew the man that worked and lived there and the ones who did were vendors and people who regularly visited the marketplace just outside of the beach, the only times they encountered him was during his routinely selling of the day.

Muriel, known better as the lone fisherman, rose before the sun did to begin his routine- he began fishing in the morning, made his way to the market to sell once he had a good amount and prepared everything for when people came in a flood. Tourists, locals, travelers, passersby and all other kinds of people found their way there and always made everything loud- but it made his sale faster. Once he was finished, he gathered his things and went back home to go on with the rest of his routine- a second round of fishing, this time for personal consume (and for his… demanding wolf companion), then spend part of his time tending to Inanna, reading a book or whittling.

That’s the way his life went- he had become used to it, it sure was a quiet lifestyle, but it was the one that allowed him to spend his time in solitude, silence and peace.  
Once again, he sat and looked into the idle sea while the sun went down, the time for the surrounding areas to be left and in complete silence was near. Muriel allowed himself to close his eyes, becoming aware of how heavy they had become throughout the day- but the repetitiveness of his life granted him with knowing what would happen next every time, nothing new to expect, no surprises. His consciousness was tempted to drift away, though he did keep in mind that the gentle tug of the net would move the boat and wake him when needed.

The soft, continuous sound of the waves crashing against the shore and the soothing way they rocked his boat was enough to make his exhaustion become evident- but like always, he opened his eyes and stood to get his net back up and prepare the rest of the things to return to the cottage. The moon’s calming light let him know that it was a good time to return, Inanna was waiting for him- she would be offended if he arrived late, she always did.

That’s when he felt it- a strong, unexpected pull to the net, with enough force to make the boat tilt. It took Muriel a second to regain his balance fully, and he approached the source of the trouble- taking a hold of his equipment and using little strength to pull the net back up, whatever had happened? Had something heavy somehow found its way to the net? As he pulled, he thought of the possibilities- perhaps Inanna would be happy if he brought something different home, but he’ll have to see what it is to take that decision.  
Thoughts still sliding in his head, he finished taking out the net of the water- it was quite dark, but not enough to make it impossible to see and try to make out what the shape was. From where he stood, it looked bigger than any fish he had previously caught… and the smell of blood hit him just a few seconds after that- as not to force his eyes to adjust to the lack of light, he stretched out to reach an oil lamp hanging and held it out to see what has happening.

He met with blue eyes, looking back at him just as confused as he was. What was someone doing in the sea this late? He could have sworn the beach was empty- he saw everyone go away, so who could it be? It took him a minute, but he could notice something was off… something was different- his eyes trailed down and he could distinguish the shape of a fish tail, looking back up, he finally processed the face of a young woman. Black hair fading to blue, odd-colored blue eyes (was one a different shade? Was it just the light?), a confused, nervous expression in her features and blood staining her- he noticed the wound on the tail immediately after, she had been hurt.  
Had he found a mermaid?

Muriel’s strength gave in, accidentally softening his grip on the net and letting go of it- making the mysterious lady fall back into the water rather hard, the action making her yelp before she hit the sea with a loud splash. He stood there, frozen and without knowing what to do- was he supposed to help her? What had harmed her? Was it still around? Was she still in danger? This thought brought him back to reality- she was still tangled in the net, wasn’t she? She could have been harmed again. Reacting, he took action and retrieved the net once again- this time not stopping until he brought her on board.

The mermaid looked up at him, expression now gone monotonous- she seemed unamused from his previous mistake, but she also didn’t seem like she was going to hold him accountable for that reaction. Muriel knelt down beside her, rummaged through his pockets and took out a small knife- she visibly tensed up at the sight of the weapon, closing her eyes and flinching lightly… but nothing happened, he had the part of the net keeping her trapped in his hand and was cutting through it.

“What are you doing?” She finally spoke, she sounded exhausted- but even then her voice had a melodic tone to it, she had a pretty voice, but he refrained from getting distracted by it. “You will ruin your net, fisherman.” She insisted, but couldn’t find it in herself to move- and he didn’t respond until he was done freeing her from the rope. Shoving the knife back into his pocket, he then moved to inspect the wound- it was bleeding thickly, almost oozing it. It looked more painful than it was serious… but he didn’t know for how long she had been like this.

“We need to stop the bleeding, stay still.” He was aware that she would need a special medicine, considering she was not human, but for now they had to focus on getting the wound to stop bleeding before her situation worsened. Muriel stood up and searched for the box where he had stored all his first-aid supplies, rummaging through them and finding the tools he needed and going back to sit next to her. “Don’t move, it might sting.” He warned, before he got to work on cleaning the cut- when the first contact was made, she stiffened and had to stop herself from moving backwards and away from him, he raised his hand and allowed her to relax.

“…Sitare.” She states, without looking at him in the face- even then, she can tell that his focused expression is soon changed for one of confusion by her words, a light tint of pink coming to her cheeks as she realized this. “My name is Sitare.” Having a long silence between each other wasn’t uncomfortable- it felt familiar, even, but the she figured that he could at least know her name- given that he was helping her not die.  
   
He didn’t respond, he was too busy getting her wound bandaged once he had managed to stop the bleeding and had cleaned everything- when it looked good to him, he reached for a safety pin and inserted it to keep his work in place. “Muriel” He finally spoke, averting his gaze from the curious lady, who looked at him with wonder showing in her eyes. Sitare looked weak, now that he could take a closer look, her dark skin had paled and her arms were trembling slightly- Muriel’s brow furrowed, slowly and hesitantly reaching out to touch her face… ah, perhaps not the best idea, of course she would be cold from being in the water and exposed to the night air.

“Thank you, Muriel. You’re very kind to be helping a stranger- but I believe I can go back into the sea now.” Sitare turned, attempting to crawl her way back to the border of the boat to jump off and swim away again- before he could think too much about it, Muriel reacted and grabbed her by the wrist, stopping her from moving any further from the spot she currently was in. Once he noticed the contact, it was only a matter of seconds before the blush in his face darkened and spread all the way to his shoulders- but he didn’t let go, going back to the sea was more dangerous for her, all the blood she had lost probably had attracted something and it would be risky to go back and face them in the state she was in- he shook his head.

“You need…to heal first.” Sure, it meant that he would have company in his cottage until she was better, but it wasn’t in him to just leave her alone like this- he moves to a different place and begins the way back home, walking back to check on Sitare every couple of minutes (thankfully he hadn’t gone that far from the shore), eventually covering her tail with his jacket- carrying her to his home could bring attention and well… people didn’t have the best reactions to mythical creatures being near.

No sooner had they reached the shore and the boat was in its place than Muriel had got to action, picking up and carrying Sitare across the beach- sure, the walk would take a bit of time, but they were already so close to a safe space where she could rest… he couldn’t stop now. He got too caught up on his thoughts- wondering what he was going to do with a mermaid around, how long it would take to go for medicine, how long it would take to come back and help her apply it- his thoughts kept racing when he felt the lightest tug on his clothes, pulling him back to reality.

Upon looking down, he met with Sitare’s eyes looking at him- had she gotten paler? She seemed to be getting heavier, and she was visibly struggling to keep her eyes open- she let out a breathy laugh, as if it had taken all of her effort. “Mu…riel, I’m getting… tired.” A long pause between her words, as the weight of her head made her rest it against Muriel’s chest- “I’ll… sleep for… a minute.” Her words almost not reaching his ears, but the quiet in the area allowed him to listen- he knew the situation asked him to keep going, to think of a better plan before they reached the cottage… fortunately, Muriel had always been quick-witted, so it only took some seconds.

They reached the door, Muriel opened, turned and pushed it with his back- Inanna met them at the entrance quickly, snarling at the lady first, almost showing her canines. “Calm, Inanna, she’s a friend.” Muriel ushered while he made his way to the downstairs bathroom, where he could place her in the bathtub and rush out for the medicine. Once he was there, he gently put her down and removed the jacket that covered her- revealing her nature to the wolf, that now looked at her curiously, approaching her to sniff her a couple of times and looking at Muriel with a confused look in her face.

However, he was too busy to notice, filling the tub with water and checking that the bandages were still there- once he made sure everything was alright, he turned to the wolf and spoke to her, his voice stern. “Keep the cottage safe, Inanna. I’ll… look for Asra, he will know what to do.” He looked at Sitare again before he left- she was still unresponsive, but the color was returning to her face. Did he really have to do this? He groaned, curse his kind heart that didn’t allow him to stay on the side and stay away from everyone- now he had to deal with this.

Before leaving, he took a charm with an oddly colored stone that hung next to his keys, placing it around his neck and quickly glancing at it before reaching for the front door, hesitating for a second- then grabbing it with more security. Before turning the doorknob, his charm glowed and the door opened- only that now the outside looked completely different, he took in a deep breath and walked out, closing behind him and leaving Inanna to protect the mermaid. He could only hope he made it before anything else happened to her… of before it was too late.


	2. Ties and Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obtaining the medicine to help the mermaid in distress is the only thing in Muriel’s mind at the moment- but it seems like he is not the only one concerned for the injured lady, who is the other person looking for her? It would appear that he doesn’t like Muriel, but perhaps that can be solved. Finally, the stressful moment comes to an end… but something else begins.

### Chapter 2: Ties and Magic.

  
  
  
A door flew open, making the charms attached to the nearby wall fly up and back to where they belong- rushed, ragged breathing that showed the difficulty and weight of the action, quick steps to the main room where an average-heighted man, slender, with white hair that looked like a cloud and purple eyes with a mystic wisdom to them, waited for Muriel as if his instincts had told him something was about to happen and he should be ready for the unexpected.

“Asra.” The name is pronounced breathlessly, exhaustion dripping and a strong smell of myrrh invading the room they were sharing- green eyes meeting purple, worry laced in his gaze and dread quickly filling their surroundings. “I need medicine for a mermaid- she’s hurt, it’s… a large cut on her tail, she was bleeding- Asra, I-!” A hand being gently placed on his shoulder stopped the flood of words, making the taller man shudder- Asra looked at his friend with a gentle smile, though his furrowed brow gave his concern away.

While Muriel was focused on getting his words out, he failed to notice that there was someone else with them- Asra’s home had a connection to the sea, where all kinds of magical creatures would come to him asking for his help and guidance. The man (or rather a merman) that sat there had a stern expression on his face, tattoos covering a large part of his body, signs of being a shark merman, brown hair with some stray grey ones that hinted at his real age- green eyes with an odd, wise and knowledgeable glow to them. He had something in his hand, a blue bracelet with a moon-shaped trinket on it.

“Muriel… this is Laegjarn, he’s here for something… similar. You might want to talk to him while I brew the medicine you need.” And with that, the traveling magician made his way around the room and across a door opposite to where they were standing.  
   
Barely had Asra left the common room had Laegjarn already moved closer to Muriel- as close as the small fountain built in the building would allow him to go, the fisherman couldn’t avoid the chill that ran down his spine when they made eye contact, tension slowly forming in the air and enough of a pressure to feel it pushing his shoulders down. Muriel had a tendency to slouch, but being in the presence of Laegjarn made him feel inclined to bow, or look down as not to meet his gaze- had he ever encountered someone with such a strong presence?

“Muriel.” The sound of his name bringing him back to reality, nodding as a response. “You mentioned you had encountered an injured mermaid- I’m afraid that would be my daughter.” Laegjarn’s voice was strong, husky, coming from the depths of his chest- the stern tone to it came close in comparison to the way a ruler would give commands… but there was something else. “I cannot trust you, human, but there is nothing I can do in my position- so I have come with a petition and a warning.” As he spoke, he gestured for Muriel to come closer with his hand, gently placing the bracelet he was carrying in the younger male’s hand, a sorrowful look in his eyes.

“I ask that you give this to her when you can.” Before Muriel could retrieve his hand, Laegjarn held his wrist in a tight grip- not too tight as not to hurt him, but enough to get his attention and to make sure that he knew he was being completely serious. “If anything happens to my daughter, child, you shall carry the responsibility… and the consequences will be severe, understood?” Immediately, the fisherman nodded and went to take his own wrist once the merman had released him, then slipping the bracelet into his coat pocket- he didn’t want to lose it, but he also didn’t understand why she would need it.

“I swear… nothing will happen to her.” Not that it had ever been his intention, all he wanted was to make sure she was fine so she could leave and he could return to his solitude- it was not like him to leave something to die or be troubled, but he was not a fan of company. Still, it sounded like Laegjarn wanted his child unharmed (and rightfully so)- he would act as a protector for as long as she needed, though he didn’t have an estimate of how long it would take for her to heal completely. “Your daughter will be safe, sir.” He reinforced, stepping away.

As angry as Laegjarn looked, there was a hint of sadness in his eyes- he was a worried father unable to see and keep his child safe, after all. Now that Muriel’s fear was subsiding and his mind was clearer, his eyes wandered down and he finally noticed the different scars that the merman carried throughout what was visible of his body- the most visible ones being on his shoulders, part of them covered with the ink and intricate designs of his tattoos. Laegjarn moved to push all of his hair back, letting out an exhausted sigh- he looked stressed out, and Muriel swallowed a lump beginning to form in his throat, eagerly waiting for Asra to return.

The wait was not long, but the silence made it feel like an eternity. Finally, the tension that had slowly been building up inside the room and suffocating both men was broken by the magician opening the door and walking towards Muriel. Asra gave an exhausted smile, it was clear that he had been using a lot of his magic to create a medicine as effective as possible- he extended his hands and offered a small pouch to Muriel, the smell of the different herbs he had used was strong enough to cover up the scent of myrrh.  
   
“Take this, Muriel. It’s a concoction… it has to be applied over the wound and kept there with some bandages. I know you’ll do a great job caring for her.” Asra turns to Laegjarn, kneeling to be in eye-level with him, and gently placed a hand on the man’s shoulder- his gaze was tender, a sweetness and closeness that only Asra managed to have despite all the things that were happening around. “Lae, worry not. Sitare will be safe and sound with Muriel, you and your children can rest easy.”

Laegjarn took a moment to look at Asra, examining his expression, then rested a hand on top of the magician’s and the weakest of smiles found its way to the man’s face. “Thank you, Asra… I owe you, once again.” A chuckle leaving him, his voice frail- it was clear stress had been tearing him for a while. “Jaiden should come visit you soon, Asra. I shall take my leave, farewell.” With that and without paying any more of his attention to Muriel- he turned and exited the place through the entrance at the bottom of the fountain.

“Muriel, you should go see how she’s doing.” Asra mused, approaching the taller male with a little bit of worry still staining his expression- the magician closed his eyes for a second, summoning his magic and stretching it to sense his surroundings. “I assure you, she is alive… but she’s weak. Hurry, Muriel, she might need your help.” Asra guided his friend to the door, Muriel reaching for the doorknob in an instant- making the charm he wore glow, causing a chain reaction in the crystals Asra kept by the entrance.

“…Thank you.” Not another word was spoken, Muriel swung the door open and crossed the doorframe without looking back- in a second, he met with Inanna, who was already tense and growling before she processed that she was looking at her friend. Once the realization was made, a worried look overtook the wolf’s face, features twisting in a way that made him understand that something had happened- dread invaded every inch of his body as he rushed into the bathroom, where he had left her. A bloody trail on the floor that he had previously ignored now coming to his attention, the smell hitting him soon after the image- he would have to clean this.

Upon entering the room where he left her, he expected to find a shocking scene he was not prepared to see- taking a moment to get into his head and remind himself that she was alive. Finally taking in the sight of the room he, instead, met with Sitare attempting to use her own magic to heal her own wound- Muriel felt enraged immediately, could she not see that she was too weak to be using magic to do such a thing?! He huffed loudly enough to get her attention, jumping slightly from the surprise.

“Stop that.” Dry as always, he got near and pushed her hands away from her tail- shoving his own in his pocket and taking out the pouch with medicine Asra had given him, gently pulling the thread that kept it closed and taking just enough to treat her wound. “This might… sting.” He warned shyly, getting on his knees and being as careful as his nerves allowed him to apply the ointment on the cut… Sitare gritted her teeth and sucked air when she felt his hands working on her injury, relaxing under his touch once the initial pain had gone away- she eyed the medicine curiously, raising her brow and shifting her attention to him.

“Is this…?”  
   
“Yes.” An abrupt stop to her question as he finished covering all the cut, standing up and moving to a nearby cabinet where a white box rested, opening it and looking through its contents before finding clean bandages to use, taking them out and returning to his previous working station to get everything wrapped up. Once he was finished and his work was kept in place with a safety pin, he shifts to the side to check it out- ultimately deciding that he was satisfied, then allowing himself to sink and sit on the floor, resting one arm on the tub’s border. This was exhausting.

“…Thank you, Muriel.” Her gratitude sounded genuine, the relieved smile on her face also had no trace of ill intent- she had been helped by such a kind man! Now that they had a moment of peace after an agitated evening, Sitare found herself feeling curious about this man- who was he? Why did he live here? Inanna interrupted her thoughts when the wolf gently pushed the door open, catching both hers and Muriel’s attention.

“…It’s nothing.” A dark blush crept its way up to the fisherman’s face, he didn’t receive soft words all that often and he sure was not used to having someone else inside his cottage. He pouted unconsciously, looking away from her and slightly turning his face as to prevent her from seeing him- a moment of silence, then he stood up and reached into his pocket again- this time pulling out the bracelet Laegjarn had given him. “Your… father asked me to give you this. I’ll go cook.” Once she had taken it, he exited the bathroom.  
The mermaid looked at the accessory for a second, then detached the moon trinket and submerged it in the tub- a faint image slowly forming on the surface of the water, the blurriness slowly gaining more focus and the image of Laegjarn appearing before her eyes.

“Father,” she spoke softly, glad to be able to speak to him again. “I’m safe.” The man’s eyes welled up once he heard her voice, a large smile painting itself on both of their faces. “Muriel helped me, he has been kind to me. Please don’t worry about me anymore, Father, I promise I will stay communicated with you- be sure to tell my siblings that I’m fine.”

A short conversation between the two of them surged, Laegjarn being the worried father that he was and being more than happy to see his beloved daughter, Sitare being fearless and unpreoccupied as always. It didn’t last very long, but both of them said and heard what they needed to allow their hearts to let go of all dread that had been building up. “I love you too, Father.” Was the last thing Sitare said before attaching the moon back to the bracelet, then putting it on and taking a moment to look at it with fondness.

Muriel opened the door, a bowl of food on his hand- he went up to her in silence and gave it to her, perhaps he just wasn’t the best with words and preferred to remain silent.

“Thank you, again.” Being more than happy to receive it, Sitare went right at it, not wasting a second.

“…It’s not much, not sure what you can eat.” This time, though, he didn’t stay with her. Exiting the room again, he still had to clean all the blood that had gotten on the floor when they were making their way to the bathroom- the stains would be permanent if they stayed there any longer, the same for his clothes. Once he was done getting the blood out of everywhere it had gotten (who knew magical blood is much easier to remove!) he entered the bathroom again, where Inanna rested to keep guard and make sure Sitare was alright.

“Have you fi-“ He was cut off by a soft whine let out by his wolf companion, urging him to hush his voice and not disturb the silence- he peeked over to see if anything had happened… and found Sitare already deeply asleep, holding onto the bracelet. In silence, he retrieved the empty bowl she had put on the ground, turning off the light of the room as he made his way out- turning back to look at her peaceful sleeping face one more time, now hesitating to leave… he scowled, then exited. At least one of them could finally get some sleep...


	3. Beginning of a Bond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It becomes clear that Sitare gets bored while spending all of her time inside the same room, unable to really go out and entertain herself. Muriel does his best to find a way to help her find some fun, making efforts he... didn't know he was willing to make for anyone who wasn't Asra- but here he is, and they have a chance to get to know each other a bit more.

### Chapter Three: Beginning of a Bond.

  
  
It has been a couple of days since Sitare had arrived to Muriel’s cottage- the mermaid and fisherman spent quite the time together, Muriel often helped her apply the medicine Asra had given and Sitare was full of questions about his life, the things around them and the world on land. He did his best to answer when he could- but he guessed that she would be better receiving information directly from books. 

So, for the past week or so- he has been making quick trips to the lively town’s library to gather some stacks of books for her to read and inform herself all she wanted. It was soon quite evident that, because she couldn’t really move from where she was, she was using all the time she had to read and inform herself, learning all that she could and reaching her own conclusions- every now and then, Sitare would call for Muriel and she would ask a question she had, or request his opinion on a topic she had been reading- the time they’ve spent together has been mostly silent bonding, or getting to know each other bit by bit.

Sure enough, Sitare noticed she had been wanting to spend more time with Muriel, and she found him to be deeply interesting. If only she wasn’t… stuck in this tub, but she wouldn’t last that long without any water and she knew it, which is why all of her attention went to reading. Muriel noticed that what she preferred reading (since they were the books she finished first) were full of magical adventures, she also seemed to enjoy reading about nature that could be found on land.

Muriel felt bad- he knew Sitare got bored easily when she didn’t have any new book and Inanna wasn’t around to try her best and play fetch. He wanted to do something, he would never admit it but he was finding himself to enjoy the mermaid’s company- when he was done with his daily selling, he often caught himself feeling eager to have someone to come back to, even if they didn’t talk all that much, hearing her chat with his wolf was enough to remind him that the house wasn’t as empty anymore… he got an idea.

While he kept bringing new books for her to keep herself entertained, he made his way to a part of his cottage he hadn’t paid attention to for quite a while now- a working station with a crafting table and some scrapped whittling left around the room. He rummaged through his materials, wondering if they would be enough, then grabbing the papers he used to sketch out the planning of what was currently plaguing his mind- it had to be resistant and easy to move around, it would have to be accessible for her to be able to use it on her own and to be helped when he was there.

He mostly worked when she was busy with her novels- or when she had already fallen asleep. It was an idea he had never tried before, not something that he had made in the past or something that really allowed him to go for several trials and errors- he didn’t have an estimate of how long she would be staying, since the wound was beginning to fully close and scar properly- but she did seem to be bored while staying in the same spot- she should, at least, be able to get out of the tub.

It didn’t take that long to build, perhaps a full day or two fully focusing, but it sure had been quite the tiring work to get through- making sure everything worked perfectly fine and that nothing would break when being used. Muriel made final adjustments, made sure it would be functional and stepped back to look at his work.

Upon laying his eyes on it, the thought of seeing Sitare smile made its way to his head- being shoved away as soon as it had entered. Truth be told, he found her company to be more comforting that he had expected- he found himself thinking of her while he was selling his fish, wondering what she would be up to and what she had been reading while he was gone. Hearing her voice broke the silence that he was used to and… wait, what was he doing again? They were only acquaintances, he doesn’t need friends.

Once he had made sure everything was finished- he cleaned his workshop and moved to return to the living room. Not expecting to see Inanna already sitting there, she raised her head and whined at him, which was her way of asking him to come closer so they could spend some time together- Muriel never thought himself to be fully alone because he was aware that Inanna was there, but now the whole cottage felt different than before. It was as if a special warmth had invaded the place, one that made it feel more like a home.

Early morning came to them- as always, the fisherman was already out and getting the daily sells done to come back and see what else could be done around, away from all the people getting through their day in town. Sure enough, he was done soon and he had begun making his way back to the cottage- becoming aware of how sunny it was that day, it was sunnier than usual, it hurt his eyes… he lowered the hood of his cloak and continued to walk. 

He went through the list of things he had to do once he arrived back home: change Sitare’s water, clean her wound and apply the medicine, let Inanna out and see if the mermaid needed anything else, then cook. Check on the mermaid, check on Inanna and occupy his mind on something else- repeat. It was a different routine from what he was used to, but it was one that did not require a lot of change from his part, his surroundings were what had been mostly changed.

His hand reached the doorknob of the entrance and a sudden surge of excitement got him, one that he would proceed to hide and pretend it never happened, but he… wanted to see the mermaid’s reaction to the gift he had crafted for her. Surely, it wasn’t the prettiest but it would prove to be useful to her while she fully recovered and was able to return.

He went to wake her up- “Sitare?” He spoke gently, it was odd that he called her by her name so casually, usually going for “mermaid” and the like- he opened the door, finding a sleepy maid with her hair all tangled and in a mess. He… chuckled, very much involuntarily, thankfully she wasn’t awake to hear it. He got near her, gently nudging her until she woke up, gently fluttering her eyes open and looking at him- ah, he got away once he was sure she was awake.

“Wake up… I have to show you something.” Muriel shyly looked away from her, pretending not to notice that she sleepily held onto the border of the bathtub and pulled herself up to look at what was going on outside of her little “bed”, dripping water and getting a bit of the outside of the tub wet. Sitare met eyes with Muriel for the split second he had used to look back at her, but the contact was quickly broken when the large man exited the bathroom and walked to a point in the living room- she could more or less tell where he had gone from the sound of his footsteps.

“Don’t look until I say so…” He’s never asked her to do anything other than staying still for an effective appliance of ointment, but Sitare happily obliged, wondering what he might be up to.

Muriel returned to the bathroom, gently pushing the gift he had crafted for her until it was right in front of her- he was glad she had done what he had asked, this would make it easier to see her first reaction to it… and it also gave him time to prepare himself for the embarrassment he was about to face and get through. He cleared his throat, looking for appropriate words, but he was interrupted by her, visibly impatient.

“Can I open my eyes now, fisherman?”

“…Yes.”

A yawn got to her before she could fully open her eyes, but once she could, she laid her gaze on what was before her- immediately, a big smile made its way to her face and she looked at Muriel with a lovely expression on her face, then turning back to keep looking at her gift. She wanted to get out of the tub so she could get closer to it but… she might need help.

“It’s a wheelchair! How very thoughtful of you… thank you, Muriel!” Sitare cheerfully showed her gratitude, giving a sweet smile to the man and inspecting the gift she was being given, noticing that under the chair- where her tail would be, had what seemed to be a glass box filled with water- she eyed it curiously, wondering just how long it had taken him to craft this, and how much effort he had put into it. It would allow her to move from the bathtub, she’d get some independence around the house and, well, she could do more than just read.

Sitare raised her arms, indicating that she would need help to get on it- Muriel looked at her for a brief moment before figuring out what she was meaning to ask, blushed once he realized the message and complied, gently taking the mermaid and putting her on the wheelchair- before he could push her out, she stopped him. “Wait, help me get dry. “ It was a good idea, since cleaning up after a dripping, moving mermaid would be more difficult later.

Muriel reached for a towel he had near, giving it to her and waiting for her to get dry… then becoming aware that now she would need a shirt. He awkwardly shuffled out of the bathroom while she was busy drying her curly locks and brushing them- it was fairly new to her, but she quickly got the hang of it. Soon, Muriel returned and handed the shirt, turning away with his face getting a deep crimson tone to allow her to dress- it took a few seconds, once she was ready, he got behind the wheelchair and pushed her out of the bathroom.

She seemed excited, looking around the living room with curiosity and wonder, now she was able to get more familiar with the surroundings and move, she was able to do more than just sit on a tub and wait for the days to go by, Inanna noticed the movement and trotted all the way to where Sitare was, with some pep on her step. Sitare pet her eagerly, Muriel sighing and softly complaining about how soft the wolf was becoming now that she was being spoiled with affection. A bird sat outside the window, chirped and got the mermaid’s attention- she turned to Muriel and it took him a second to get that she wanted to get near the animal.  
   
Once she was pushed near the window, she reached to open the window and take a closer look at one of the animals she had been reading about- sure, she had already seen plenty while living in the sea, but she never had the chance to get so close to one. It didn’t take long for her to notice the noise coming from the beach, then noticing some of the town’s buildings that could be seen from where they were. All these colors and activity got her attention- quickly filling the room with a lot of questions, most of them answered by Muriel after waiting for her to finish.

“…Can we go see?” Sitare asked, turning to look at Muriel, who seemed like he would much prefer to go back to his room and not move from there… he pushed his hair back, stared at a blank spot in a wall for a couple of seconds, scowled then made his way to his bedroom, then returning with a blanket that he placed on Sitare’s lap- she moved it around to properly cover her tail- who knew how people would react upon seeing a magical creature like her. Muriel put on his heavy coat, pulled up the hood and got the two of them to the door, grabbing the keys and gesturing for Inanna to come with them- she did need to go out for a bit after all.

The three of them make their way across the beach, everyone around not minding them too much and Sitare not paying attention, she was all too familiar with shores and the people that gathered there- she seemed beaming and excited to see what was around town. All the shops, the people doing their own thing, all the things she could get to see! Muriel wasn’t that excited, but he could oblige and make an effort to get her to distract herself. Once they entered the town, they walked around the streets- Sitare looking from side to side with child-like wonder, pointing at the things she found most curious, talking to Muriel about the things she had been reading about.

“I found a romance novel I enjoyed- it’s… Pride and Prejudice, I believe- have you read it?” She asked, not really expecting an answer from him- both of them knew both were quiet, very quiet most of the time. Today was a little bit of an exception, since she found herself so excited.

“…Yes.” He admitted, a slight hint of embarrassment in his voice. Sitare made no further commentary, but silently smiled to herself- turns out this stoic man could have some soft spots, after all! Perhaps they could become closer, she was curious to see what lied underneath the cold exterior. Inanna got their attention, running off and returning with a flower she offered to the mermaid, making her chuckle and receiving affection as a way of saying thanks.

They strolled around town, occasionally stopping in some shops that really got her attention- eventually, both of them had an ice cream in hand and had stopped near a gardened area to take a breather. Sitare noticed Muriel’s hair had gotten a little bit messed from having pulled down the hood- without warning, she moved closer and tried to get it back in place with her free hand, Muriel tensed up at the touch. “Relax, Muriel- I’m only fixing your hair…” It didn’t take long, and she retreated, noticing the man’s face was rather crimson, and he swallows thickly before looking away, at the flowers behind them.

“Forget-me-nots…” a soft smile appeared, a rare sight on his face, Sitare turned her head and noticed them- they were quite healthy, they seemed to be doing just fine. Did he like them? She had guessed he had a preference for certain flowers, he kept them pressed in some of the books he owned and had given to her and, from the spot she had been in, she had been able to see some potted plants. Sitare summoned a bit of her magic on her hand, then took one of the flowers- then placing it on Muriel’s hair and smiling.  
“Don’t worry it’s still alive. It can be potted later.”

They continued with their stroll around town, Inanna coming and going at her own liking- it was common for her to do this, nothing to worry about. It started getting dark, and it started getting colder. While they were making their way home, Muriel took off his coat and gently placed it on her shoulders- it was more than enough to cover her and keep her warm- though he was not sure if it was all that necessary… it’s still a nice thing to do for someone, no?

They made one final stop, a shop selling scarves got all of Sitare’s attention- she pushed herself closer, looking at the different colors they offered and grabbing two: a deep, night blue scarf and a non-saturated green one. Muriel stood in silence, making the proper payment once he was sure Sitare wanted them. She did her best at wrapping her scarf around her neck- it looked neat, not like a first try- she raised the green cloth. “Let me put this on you, Muriel.” Her petition met with refusal at first, but after some light insisting, he got in front of her, bent down and got closer so she could put it around his neck. “You’ll get sick from giving me your coat. Wear this.”

Once that was done, they continued on their way- reaching a bridge with a sight to the sea- people liked continuously looking at the ocean, it was also easy to see who was coming to Vesuvia’s harbor. A curious boat was sailing… moreover, Muriel had never seen that boat before- it had markings- he stopped on his tracks, trying to get a better look at the symbols on the boat. As it got closer, they became clearer and clearer until it was impossible not to recognize.

“Pirates.” He went back at pushing Sitare, it would be best if they went back home now where they wouldn’t be bothered. Inanna had come running back to them- having already seen the pirate ship and not wanting to be near it if they decided to stop by. Sitare was no stranger with them- they usually looked for trouble and, more importantly, they often endangered merfolk.

The rest of the trip was silent, the tension starting to sink and make the air hard to breathe- pirates coming around couldn’t mean good things, especially when they didn’t appear to be the friendly, commerce-interested kind of pirates.

_Then, in the distance, they see Asra waiting for them in front of the cottage’s entrance._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry for how slow i've been in updating this story, i've had a hard time gathering motivation to write. i also know this isn't the best chapter- i feel it's a bit slow / maybe boring, but a more exciting and interesting part of the story is beginning.
> 
> and the pining begins, _finally_.
> 
> anyway, thanks for your patience and thanks for reading this! it makes my day, honestly. and again, a shoutout to my friend and Bastet for motivating me to keep going with this- they're excellent.
> 
>  
> 
> **\- Tonatiuh.**


	4. Never-ending Troubles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asra's concern seems to be bigger than they expected- causing them to go and see what they pirates they saw are up to and finding out that trouble seems to be everywhere these days. They need to look for a way to solve this problem, and it probably should be fast, but Sitare has a decision to make before anything happens- one that could go well, or south.

### Chapter 4: Never-ending Troubles

It wasn’t rare to see Asra visiting the cottage, but this late? Something must have happened. Inanna rushed to his side, leaving Muriel and Sitare behind, turning her head to see them every now and then as a way of urging them to fasten their pace. Muriel obliged, it was not that far anyways so it didn’t take long to arrive to the door; being so close, now both of them were able to recognize the look of worry Asra had in his face- he usually was so laid-back and relaxed, seeing him with that expression certainly made the two of them get nervous.

“Ah! Muriel, Sitare.” His gaze is tired, by glancing at him it is evident that Asra hasn’t been getting much sleep lately- but no comment was made on it. He looks agitated, extending his hand and placing it on Muriel’s hand. “You’re finally here...I was, well, waiting for you.” The magician approached lowered his head, he didn’t quite have the energy to give a full reaction to what had happened. “It’s Jaiden, I’m unable to contact him- Laegjarn mentioned he would visit the day you came, Muriel, but he’s yet to show up.”

Sitare felt her heart sink- had something happened to her brother? Attempting to move from the wheelchair but being quickly stopped by Inanna, she had to listen to the rest of what Asra had to say, right, it was better than starting to panic for nothing. Muriel had gotten by her side instead of behind her, so she hesitantly reached for his hand- he was the closest comfort she had, aside from the bracelet around her wrist. When she took it, she could tell that the man still tensed up when he was touched- she, then, moved to let go but was surprised when the he held it and gave her hand a light squeeze. He didn’t look at her, though.

“I’m worried- I know he tends to get into trouble.” Asra muses, moving a hand up for push his hair back a little, letting a long sigh slip. “But he usually tells me about it, we get in trouble together- this is different.” His gaze shifts from the ground to Sitare, knowing that she was familiar with her brother’s behavior. Muriel stood there, not fully knowing how to react- and looked at the mermaid in hopes that she would know what to do with this, it’s her family after all.

“Worry not, Asra.” Sitare speaks up, gently letting go of Muriel’s hand to comfort the magician, it was the least she could do for him, no? “He’ll appear soon, you’ll see. We’ll look for him.” Her gut feeling telling her it was a good idea to contact their father, he must have more information than them- she takes the moon trinket and tugs on Muriel’s clothes gently- “Take me to the shore, please.” And a soft, gentle smile drew itself on her face. The fisherman’s eyes lingered a bit longer on her expression, taking in the way the moonlight landed on her face and reflected on her eyes.

Muriel obliged and pushed the chair until it was close enough to the shore, not quite entering as to avoid damaging it but within arm reach for the mermaid. Sitare thanked him, holding the figure in her hand and extending her arm to drop it into the water- she wanted to be able to retrieve it once they were done, but then again, it never really leaves her side.

Both Asra and Muriel looked at her in curiosity, wondering what she was doing- the image of Laegjarn appearing before the three of them soon, it having a bit more light than the darkened beach. The man seemed exhausted- sure, worrying over his children so much in the past weeks has taken a toll on his rest. Still, he gives her a kind smile and redirects his attention to her.

“Sitare, I trust you have heard the news.” He says, briefly looking at Asra- both of them must have talked to each other before this encounter, his green eyes sliding to meet Muriel’s- a chill running down the fisherman’s spine, the aura of his presence truly was too great to forget or ignore. “Jaiden noticed there’s…something happening to the waters where we live, my child.” His expression changes to one of distaste, frowning and crossing his arms. “Something is poisoning them, corrupting living things. We’ve been aware of it for a while, but when Jaiden saw pirates, he thought they might have information.”

“Pirates?” Muriel spoke, making everyone fall silent, he never joined conversations when there were more people in the same space as him- his deep voice getting everyone’s attention. They had seen pirates too, the ship in the distance, maybe they had something to do with it? Muriel had a bad feeling about this. “Do you think the pirates have him?” A genuine question arising with understanding gentleness laced in his tone, it must be stressful to be in that situation.

“I’m afraid that is quite likely, human.” Laegjarn looked sorrowful, it was clear he had been saving his pain to be expressed when his children could not see him, he was used to being the strong and invincible figure- though he seemed frail. “I have been unable to contact him as of lately, the last I heard of him was when he was to enter the pirate ship- that was around three or two days ago. I imagine my reckless child went head-first into confrontation and didn’t…really measure the dangers he was putting himself in front of.” His voice trailed off, not wanting to finish.

Asra closed his eyes, summoning his magic to try and reach for him, wherever he was, to try and sense if he was alive- it wouldn’t tell him if he was safe or unharmed, but it would at least let them know that he was breathing. Nobody dared to speak, the air feeling tense and uncomfortable to breathe in- they became aware of the presence of magic once their surroundings began feeling different and, in the blink of an eye, Asra had returned his attention back to their conversation. “He’s alive.” He expressed, relief clear on his expression. “He recently used his own magic, his trails are impossible to miss.” Which means he found himself in a situation where he needed to use it, making him a tad more worried than before.

Then they had a good chance of finding him if they went to look for him. Sitare cut the silence left by Asra’s words, “Luna and Eros, how are they? Are they safe?” Followed by Laegjarn nodding his head- one less thing to worry about then, the only thing they were to solve was Jaiden’s location. “Then I should look for my brother.” Of course both Asra and Muriel protested and went on to stop her before she could jump into the water and get herself in danger, especially when her wound was not quite gone yet.

“No, no, Sitare! You’re not fully healed!” Asra rushed to her side to keep her from moving, even Laegjarn agreed with them- seemingly disapproving of the irrational decision taken, it would be better if someone else went and saw what was happening. “You would put yourself in more danger if pirates saw you- you’re…!”

“I know, Asra.” She replies, huffing and crossing her arms, looking at her father as to avoid looking at anyone else. “But then, who will? I don’t want my siblings or father to be in danger. Pirates aren’t to be reasoned with- you all know that.”  
   
“I’ll go see.” Muriel speaks again, making everyone turn to look at him again with disbelief in their eyes- not that he’s not capable of doing so, but the willingness he’s displaying certainly catches everyone off-guard, especially Asra. “Or not.” He backtracks, unable to ignore everyone’s eyes being on him and adding to the pressure on his shoulders- it had only been a suggestion. Asra and Laegjarn go back to discussing what they would do, and fails to notice that Sitare’s gaze is still resting on him. It only takes him a minute to feel it, turning red after making eye contact and looking away, musing a soft “What.”

Sitare kept looking, unsure of what to say- why would he do something like that? He’d already helped her when he found her hurt in the middle of the night, to her, he had already done more than enough. But no, it’s not only that, there’s something about the way he attempts to push what he feels away that keeps her attention on him, how he darts his eyes from a place to another or stare blankly at a spot to avoid meeting her eye, how his hair would fall and cover part of his expression. Sitare caught herself staring a bit after he had said something again, she only smiled.

“You’re kind, Muriel. Perhaps a bit too kind.”

“What...? No, I’m not. It’s…not, I mean- no.”

Why did he feel shy after hearing her say that? Gods, Muriel, get it back together before you make a fool of yourself. He scowled, as usual, and shrugged before redirecting his attention to what Asra and Laegjarn were saying- they discussed the poisoning of the waters they lived in, harming what lived in the ocean and causing a risk of contaminated magic. If that were to happen, it surely would bring more trouble to the surface, more trouble than he was willing to deal with so it was better to end it before it began, but what could they really do?

When the magician and the merman seemed to be done discussing and giving potential causes for the recent events they had been facing, Asra turned to Sitare, giving her a kind and soft look before moving closer to Muriel. “You don’t have to face the pirates, I know you don’t like them. I’m okay with going and finding out what they’re up to before they cause trouble- you can stay if you want.”

“I want to go.” He dislikes the thought of something or someone causing harm to the nature around him, he felt a sense of belonging being so close to the sea and from this, a bit of responsibility. “We have to stop this. Before it gets worse.” The words he spoke with little hesitation were the ones he didn’t quite think before saying, but it was rare that he expressed himself so freely. He went back to being silent, glancing at the sea.

Very well, then. Sitare and Laegjarn said their respective goodbyes, knowing that they would be contacting each other quite frequently, reached for the silver figure and attached it again to her bracelet. She wasn’t to go with them and as much as she disliked that decision, it wasn’t like she could truly move around freely without needing constant water to keep herself alive and with her wound healing. Muriel and Asra walked her to the cottage, letting Inanna come in first and then her- it would give her the opportunity to make herself familiar and call on her magic.

“Inanna, keep her safe.”

That being the last thing they said before they headed to gather the things they might need, Asra carried a bag with his cards and other little magic items that could be helpful if they were to get in trouble. Muriel simply adjusted his belt and made sure everything he needed was already there- myrrh, protective charms he had done himself and the like, feeling unsure each time he grabbed an item and placing it on the bags hanging from his belt. Once both of them were done with their decisions, they made their way to the door and Muriel stopped for only a moment- turning to look back at Sitare, who was already trying to figure out what to do while alone.

“I’ll…be back soon.” And he closed the door behind him.

It had not been the longest walk they’ve made to reach the place where the pirate ship had headed, the docks were only so far from the beach and they had barely spoken a word during the way there. They weren’t sure what they would find and surely, the stress this brought to them made them refuse to speak, what could be said that wouldn’t worsen the situation? They stopped where they could hide from anyone that looked from aboard, could Jaiden really be there?

More importantly, why was a pirate ship just casually sitting near the decks, where it could be seen by everyone? What kind of pirates were they? Both of them felt the situation to be odd- things might go south if the people they were to encounter were a bit violent, though Asra kept his fingers crossed in hopes they found friendly people they could be fond of instead of…people that only looked for trouble. Anyway, they pushed their doubts to the side in order to concentrate on their main objective.

Asra was the one to get closer, using his magic again to see if he could detect his presence- closing his eyes, taking in a deep breath and extending his aura as far as it could go to make his biggest effort to find him. Muriel stayed back, making sure no one came and saw them- it was easy to miss them (as doubtable as that was, really), especially at this hour in the night when the darkness provided them with a good cover. The time it took for Asra to check if something might be of their interest felt like an eternity- he couldn’t seem to be done soon enough.

“I think I’ve found him!” His voice in a hushed tone to avoid being heard, he turned and had a flash of excitement in the way his eyes sparkled- worry still being what was mostly expressed. “What do you think we should do?” Making a plan was much preferred, running into trouble without having at least an idea of what they were to do was not entirely like them (though Asra did do it, sometimes)- back to both of them thinking what would be best, what would be more convenient.

Thinking with the pressure of not knowing if Jaiden was unharmed or not was making things harder for the magician, and Muriel hated having a reminder that he should rush his train of thought. Ideas that came were not good, they would involve a lot of risk or they would need more time to be carried out and they certainly didn’t have that much time in their hands to see if things would work out- this was a one-try operation they weren’t quite ready for.  
   
They were interrupted by a loud thud being heard from abroad, followed by what seemed to be an argument they couldn’t hear really well and making out what was being said was more of a task than it needed to be. The voices seemed to be, at least, a bit agitated- being in their hiding spot, it was only a matter of staying still until everything was calm again or until something else happened. Asra, as always, remained in front of Muriel and called upon his magic to be prepared to defend themselves if anyone were to approach- that’s when the two people came closer to the border and they could overhear them.

> _“The poisoned water has been making navigating harder!”_
> 
> _“It’s easier to get lost, mist ‘as been too heavy to see where we’re headin’.”_
> 
> _“And our compasses are of no use lately. What is going on?”_
> 
> _“Didn’t you hear earlier? Our captain ‘as spoken to a merman to know what’s up.”_
> 
> _“The merman the captain rescued in the last raid?”_
> 
> _“Yeah. Good thing we found ‘im! Who knows what could ‘ave happened to ‘im.”_

Their hearts stopped for a moment- could it be?

> _“Do you know what they said?”_
> 
> _“They think someone ‘as brought a curse to the ocean, or something.”_
> 
> _“A curse? Really?”_
> 
> _“That’s what they said!”_
> 
> _“And what can be done? We’ve lost three men already!”_
> 
> _“Don’t know. Probably out of our hands.”_

The two men kept on chatting normally, not saying anything that could be useful for them. Jaiden has been here or, at least, another merfolk has recently talked to this ship’s captain to talk about the situation. It couldn’t really be anyone else, and he probably still was inside- it didn’t sound like they had been violent to him, so Asra’s heart could rest a little bit easier.

> _“Oi! You two, get back inside and get some rest. I don’t want you two tired tomorrow morning. We’re finding out who the hell’s caused this trouble ‘round here.”_

The voice of a stern woman being the one to sound now, followed by a splash nearby that got their attention. Asra forgot all traces of his carefulness, peeking out to see what it had been that fell down to the water- focusing all he could so his eyes could adjust to the darkness and make out the figure that was moving. Once he could identify what it was, he ran off and left Muriel behind- the fisherman groaning and following the magician- when it came to Jaiden, those two seemed like they went off to their own, separate realm when they were together.

“Jaiden, Jaiden- is that you?” Asra’s voice was still a bit low, it was best to avoid unwanted attention from the pirates- starting any conflict was the last thing they wanted. “What are you doing here? Where were you?!”

Having caught up with Asra, Muriel noticed the cheerful, green-haired, dark skinned person in the water- freckles covering his face, barely noticeable but still visible thanks to the moonlight. He smiled at them, not minding Muriel’s presence (he was getting used to this by now, honestly) as he extended his hand to reach for the magician’s. “Asra!”

“They mentioned you had been captured and rescued!” Asra got on his knees to grab the merman’s hand, looking glad to finally see him again. “What happened? We’ve been trying to contact you-“ he points at a bracelet with a sun trinket the other had on his wrist. “But we couldn’t, you had us go looking for you.”

Jaiden laughed, covering his mouth with his hand just a bit after to silence his chuckles. “I got captured the first day I was out, those damn pirate hunters are way more troublesome, truly.” He huffs, pushing his hair back to get it out from his face. “These pirates raided that ship yesterday, though- they found me and helped me out. I haven’t been able to contact anyone, it was awful.” He gestures towards the light burn marks on his wrists- but he shook off the somber expression. “The captain and I had a really good talk!”

“You worried us.”

“Did I? Ah, sorry ‘bout that. You see…I was playing detective- or something like it. I was just asking questions, really.” A yawn cuts his speech, why was everyone Muriel came across so…laid back? “You’ve seen how bad the water’s gotten? It’s a mess to deal with it down there- people get lost, animals attack magical creatures, well- we’ve been gettin’ a little weaker. That’s probably what caused my sister’s incident, but I’m still not really sure about it.”

“Do we know what can be done.” Muriel states abruptly, making Asra turn to see him.

“Not really, no.” He shrugs nonchalantly. “Captain Mazelinka was just telling me that she was gonna send her kids to see if they could figure something out- the Devoraks, you’ve heard of them, yeah? Well, I told her ‘bout my siblings and she figured it’d be more effective to form searching teams. I’ll have to tell them when I get the chance, they’ll kill me if I don’t.” He extends his hand to wave at the taller man, glee in the way he smiled at him. “I’m Jaiden, by the way! Muriel’s your name, right? Asra has told me about you before.”

“Has he.” He looks at the magician, who raises his hands to plead innocent and turns back to meet eyes with Jaiden. “…We could search for a cure for this.” He almost regrets saying that, when he’d rather stay at home with Inanna and go back to the routine he was used to, where he would not have to interact with anyone- but he knew it had to be done, much to his dismay.

Asra’s eyes widen in surprise, Muriel was just full of surprises lately! “Are you sure?” But he doesn’t give time for an answer, he keeps going. “We’ve got people looking for solutions by water- so we could go on land to widen our search. Jaiden and I could go to the Arcana realms to ask if they know what could be done- you could stay and care for Sitare, I don’t want you to go put yourself in risk if you don’t want to do it, Muriel.” An understanding smile, the one he gave to everyone when things were tense.

“Knowing my dad, he’ll want to join the search once I tell him what happened- he has been mentioning going to talk to the governor…Satrinava is her name, I think? Maybe they could find something together! You know how he is, he can’t stay still for a second. He’ll want to talk with Mazelinka to form a better plan, too.” Jaiden chimed in. “You know! I heard some pirate boys talking ‘bout a forest here in Vesuvia- they mentioned magic was easier to find there. He could search there with Sitare, once she is feeling better.”

“Won’t the wheelchair be in the way? It’s better if she stays.”

Asra gets an idea, one he’s not sure if it’s good or bad, but it’s an idea regardless. “I have tried this before, but we need to talk to her first. I could give her a charm that gave her…human legs, she’d be able to walk on her own so she could go with you. The thing is…it doesn’t guarantee her being able to go back to her mermaid form so easily. We need to restore the strength in the ocean’s water for her to be able to transition between them easily- but it would do the job.”

Muriel gets a bad feeling, but it would be Sitare’s decision.

“I better go find my father before he gets more worried. I have a lot of things to tell him and I’ll have to take him here so he can talk to the captain- keep me informed, good luck!”

And with Jaiden gone, it was time to head back and tell Sitare what they knew so she could make her decision. The two friends looked at each other for a moment, then began making their way back to the cottage, where Sitare waited for them in hopes of receiving good news.

“He’s safe, then.” Sitare felt her chest letting go of a sharp pain that had been reminding her of the worry she was feeling. “But we should be concerned about this curse being cast on the ocean- who could do something like that?” She seems annoyed, leaving the book she had been trying to read in an attempt to distract herself and instead keeping her hands busy by petting Inanna, who had refused to leave her side up until now. “Now we have to do something about it before it gets too bad, or before there’s nothing that we can do. I see.”

“These pirates will be looking for a solution by sea with Eros and Luna, Jaiden and I will visit the Arcana realms in hopes of finding an answer.” Asra glanced at Muriel, who stood in the corner of the room with his arms crossed- not looking at them. “Laegjarn will see governor Satrinava to see if they can figure something out and, well- Muriel agreed to search in a forest that is said to have magic.” The man mentioned scowled, focusing his glare on an empty spot on the opposite wall.

“Alone? No way.” Sitare protested, raising herself a bit from the chair.

“That’s why…I thought of a solution, but it brings a choice for you to make.”

“What would that be?”

“I could give you a charm that could give you- well, a more human form. With that, you would be able to walk on your own and have no need to be in water all the time to sustain yourself.” He bites his lip before continuing. “The thing is…it doesn’t guarantee that you can turn back to go home, unless we find a solution to bring back the ocean’s magic strength, you could be stuck as a human.” He gently holds her hands, reassuring her with a smile. “It’s your choice, no pressure.”

Sitare thinks for a moment- she could be risking not being able to go back with her family, to what she was familiar with, not being able to be there with her siblings and father...but not doing anything was no better, it could put them at risk of being poisoned or attacked, like her.

“You don’t have to-“ Muriel spoke, but was interrupted.

“I’ll do it.”

Asra stood from his seat, looking at Sitare. “Are you sure?” She nodded in response, so he approached the door and whispered something before opening it and finding himself in front of the same panorama Muriel had walked into when he had rushed to find him for help. It took him a couple of minutes to come back, during that time, the silence between the mermaid and the fisherman was noticeable- too uncomfortable to be ignored. Muriel wanted to keep her safe, away from all danger- why did he care so much all of the sudden?

He entered the house once more, with a couple of things on his hands and hanging from his arms. Directly approaching Sitare with a severe look on his face- this time would be the last time he would ask if she agreed to do this, so they could begin the search. Of course he would understand if she said no after thinking things through- but he wanted to make sure, he worried, as always.

“Sitare, are you really sure you want to do this?”

A moment of silence.

“I’m very sure.”

“Well then.” Asra got behind her wheelchair and pushed her to go inside Muriel’s bedroom- he needed the closed space to work better. Muriel and Inanna were left in the living room, wondering what it could take to make this process effective- he heard a shuffle coming from his room, Asra calmly talking to Sitare and explaining that it would only take a little bit, that she needed to stay calm and relaxed so nothing went wrong. His magic was trustworthy, no one had ever seen anything like Asra’s magic. Muriel felt a bit of worry and dread tugging on his gut- forcing it to stay silent so he could keep his head clear and fresh.

A flash of light coming from underneath the door, getting his attention again. Back to peace and quiet, some more shuffles and the door slowly opened- Asra being the first one to walk out, offering Sitare his arm so she could support herself and try to walk for the very first time.

They met eyes again and Muriel felt himself out of breath. There she was- standing before him, in a long dress that Asra had brought for her and a charm around her neck. Neither of them knew what to say, neither of them knew why they seemed to stare into each other’s eyes, but Asra was quick to break the enchantment they had put each other in by encouraging Sitare to try and walk.

The maiden gently and slowly let go of Asra, taking what seemed to be her first step on her own- very carefully placing her weight on the foot in front and moving gracefully- she seemed to be able to stand well, she could hold her weight and she seemed proud. Then her legs trembled and failed her, she fell to the ground in a moment, being able to fall seated- chuckling.

“I really don’t know how to walk, huh.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This time the chapter's a bit longer than usual, mostly because I felt inspired with this one- ahaha. Next time will be a shorter chapter, so hopefully it won't be boring to read. Thank you so much for reading it! It means a lot to me. We're at @eclipseblessed on tumblr, too.  
>  **\- Tonatiuh**


	5. First Steps, Maybe.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Sitare being sort of a human, they can now easily access the forest they'll explore later. But Sitare doesn't know how to walk- Muriel is trusted with the task of helping her learn and practice until she gets better at it- but further lessons will be needed.

### Chapter 5: First Steps, Maybe.

Muriel reacted before he even had time to think about what he was doing- he rushed to attempt to catch her, but it was too late- Sitare was already on the ground. A chuckle leaving both her and Asra, but the fisherman kept the stern and concerned expression on his face- was she going to be okay? Of course she needed to learn how to walk, but wouldn’t she get hurt? He couldn’t help but be worried for her, worried that he might not be able to help her until she could do it on her own.

Asra bent down and offered Sitare his hand, supporting her so she could stand up- her legs still trembled when trying to shift her weight to rest on her new legs, Muriel got the image of how a newborn deer would appear when trying to take its first steps- that thought making him have the faintest smile. Once she was able to stand, Asra directed Sitare’s hands to rest on Muriel- it took him a second to understand that he was to help her stay upright now because the magician had to leave. Quickly (and a bit bashfully) he extended his arm so she put some weight on to him.

“Well, I should get going.” Asra’s sweet face retained all peace and calm, something Muriel wishes he had. “I trust you will take good care of Sitare, she will take a bit to learn how to walk.” He turns to face the maiden, placing one of his soft hands on her shoulder and winking “Please take care of Muriel, too. I’m sure you two will keep each other safe.” He gave them no time to protest at any of his claims, he had already made his way to the door and was giving Inanna a few scratches behind her ear as a way to say goodbye for now- he placed his hand over the doorknob, turned to look at them one last time and exited the cottage, leaving the two of them alone.

They looked at each other once the door was closed- only now becoming aware of their exhaustion, they had been going around all day (more Muriel than Sitare) and they had barely paid any attention to their sleep. Sitare yawned and her legs were back at trembling from not being used to holding her weight up, Muriel was quick to act and placed her on the wheelchair again- it had been enough of an effort for today, she should be getting some rest.

“I’ll… have to learn how to walk, right?” Sitare asked toying with her hair, twirling a strand and lowering her gaze to take a second to think about the time it would take her to learn to walk properly- she moved her legs experimentally and looked at them- noticing a lined scar going across both of her legs, showing her that the wound had remained with her. The maiden sighed, looking up at Muriel and giving him a kind smile, she knew she would have to do her best but making the effort wasn’t such a burden on her shoulders when she knew she would be supported.

Sitare was about to start talking when a yawn interrupted her, going to cover her mouth quickly and wiping off the tear that formed in the corner of her eye- she felt her chair be pushed back to the bedroom she had walked out of, it had to be Muriel’s bedroom. “What are you doing?” She curiously eyed him, raising a brow at his unexpected action.

“You need sleep.” He says, sounding annoyed- he almost always sounded annoyed, but Sitare didn’t really mind that, she barely paid attention to the tone of voice he was using, she had been noticing he took time to talk and that probably caused this. But wait, if he was pushing her chair to his bedroom, did it mean she was to stay there? It took her a moment to react, but once she did her eyes darted around the place- this room had a lot of books, plants and protective charms.

“Wait!” Sitare has already been pushed to the room and she noticed Muriel was leaving- upon realizing her voice had been a bit louder than it usually was, a pink tint got to her cheeks. “Wait” she repeats, softer this time, lowering her head a bit. “If I’ll stay here, where will you stay? This is your bed, it’s not fair.” She looks upset, and that look on her face made Muriel furrow his brow- his hand resting on the doorframe, looking away and responding dryly.

“I’ll stay on the couch.” Where else? Muriel was about to exit, when he was stopped by the sound of her voice again.

“We can share? There’s enough space, I’m sure!” Sitare maneuvers herself to be sitting on the bed, she can use her legs momentarily- but they still tremble a lot. She scoots to one side of the mattress and pats the rest of the space there was- they would have to stay close during the night, but there surely was enough space for the two of them! Of course… that idea went nowhere.

“No!” His eyes went wide and his face got terribly red- it’s almost as if Sitare had suggested anything else, he cleared his throat and turned away to cover the pout he always had on when he was embarrassed. “I mean… I don’t mind… if you use the bed. My couch is… comfortable.” They met eyes and Muriel’s blush didn’t go any easier on him- he reached for the doorknob and walked outside, closing the door behind him and leaving Sitare alone. Well, they were spending the night on separate rooms this time- but Sitare still felt like it was unfair for him to be moving from his bedroom just because she was staying there- she would try at a later time, then.

After making herself comfortable, she pulled the blanket up and covered herself- she could tell he spent a lot of time in his room, since all around her was full of his energy and had his smell. This scent of myrrh and nature that made her feel more at home, the soft bedding feeling like an embrace- and her mind went to the thought of Muriel holding her in his arms like that, but she pushed that thought away as quickly as she could- how could she be thinking of that at this time?!

Although she did find it embarrassing, it had brought her some peace that lulled her to being closer to sleep- Sitare knew that he had a kind heart, nobody without one would treat their plants with such care and Inanna would not be so trusting and loving of him. Ah, being gently held by someone like him was certainly more than enough to get her to calm down after all the events that happened that day- soon, and without really noticing, she fell asleep while thinking of him.

Muriel, on his part, was truly fine with staying on the couch and sleeping there until Sitare could go back home- Inanna had already made herself comfortable on a nearby pile of cushions Muriel put for her since the floor sometimes made her joints hurt. He laid down there, mindlessly running his fingers through Inanna’s black fur and getting lost in his thoughts- they truly had gotten themselves in trouble. As usual, he did not willingly fall asleep, it was more like he passed out.

Sitare woke up in the same comfort she had been in while falling asleep, it took her a couple of seconds to remember the series of events that had led to her sleeping on the man’s bed- the sun peeked from the window and tried its best to pass the thick curtains, the sound of the sea contributing to helping wake her up- but what mostly worked was the smell of food coming from a different point in the house. She truly hadn’t even thought about eating from all the running around they had done yesterday, she didn’t have to think before her body reacted- she got up from the bed and once her legs were supporting her weight, they gave in and made her fall to the floor again with a dull thud- she had to get used to this.

As she was trying her best to get up from the ground and back to sitting on the bed, the door was opened very slightly and quite gently, Sitare’s eyes quickly moved to see who was coming in- only to find a wolf with amber eyes looking at her curiously, with a hint of worry in her expression too. “Sorry if you heard the fall, I’m fine.” She mused, finally sitting on the end of the bed and checking if she had any new wound from the fall- once she was sure she was alright, her attention went back to Inanna. “Don’t worry about me, Inanna. I will get the hang of this… eventually.” Or so she hoped, because she could only imagine how inconvenient it would be not to be able to carry herself when they began their search.

What was important now is that Sitare made her way to the kitchen, or at least outside of this room, she really wanted to grab some breakfast before beginning her official lessons. Inanna opened the door all the way and sat to patiently wait for her to make her way out- giving an encouraging howl to get a smile from her. Sitare made her best effort to stand upright, arms circling to help her retain the balance she had managed to obtain- legs still trembling lightly, but not giving in to the weight. One foot in front of the other, right? Yes. 

Giving short and inefficient steps, she slowly made her way to the doorframe, soon beginning to tumble over, giving clumsy steps that tried not to fall to the ground- Inanna rushed in to help, providing a bit of support every time she looked like she needed it badly. Eventually, she found flat surfaces where she could place her hands on to rest some of her weight and keep her supported, figuring that going from holding on to different surfaces until she had reached where Muriel was would be the best way to go.

Though, she was not really given a chance to try her plan out, since the man peeked from where he was and found her standing (or trying her best to) - he seemed not to give it much thought at first, going back to what he was doing for a couple of seconds before realizing that she was not supposed to be doing that. Muriel approached her with a startled look on his face, as if he had stared right into a ghost, he offered her his arm and once he was sure she was supporting her weight on him, gently guided her to a nearby chair. “You should have said something.” He adds, not looking in her direction, but with no real annoyance in his voice.

“Oh, I figured I could try and give my first few steps on my own.” Sitare chuckles, she can’t really fathom the thought of Muriel being so worried about her- he only seemed to have space in his mind and heart for Inanna and Asra, seeing as to how he barely paid any attention to himself. But he looks concerned- and he has been nothing but gentle with her. “What do you think of them? Am I close to being a professional?” She jokes, resting her elbows on the table she was sat at.

“…No.” He states bluntly.

“But I’ll get there- with your help.” She looks at him, giving a gentle smile and calmly placing a hand on his shoulder- he tenses, and she can tell. Though the touch is soft and almost hovering, there is a moment where both of them seem to be looking into each other’s eyes and getting lost in them. Sitare had never noticed his eyes were that green, had they always been a color so intense? Muriel’s face had gained a light tone of pink while they were looking at each other- part of him wanting to look at the spot where they were touching, but being too focused on her face.  
   
Muriel felt his heart skipping a beat, his stomach felt as if he had butterflies in it- wait, what was happening to him? He can tell his heart is feeling different than normal- not tight, but also not like usual. Now that they’re so close and now that they’re like this, Muriel notices that maybe… no! No, he couldn’t be thinking about this at this time. It was foolish of him to go through that train of thought- he shakes his head and breaks the spell the two of them had been put into. It felt like they had been staring at each other for forever- even Inanna had noticed.

Before Sitare could say anything, Muriel went back to the kitchen without looking back at her- forcing himself not to do it was a more accurate description of what had happened, it took him a couple of minutes to return with two plates on his hands. He silently placed one before her and one in another spot on the table- then placing cutlery, he had cooked for the two of them? How thoughtful for him.

Sitare eyed the food he had prepared, unseasoned eggs accompanied with some other things. She had gotten more used to his cooking, he was skilled at it- she could tell that he had been cooking for himself for a long time. “Thank you!” And she went right in to eating, she hadn’t really kept her hunger in her mind- but she was starting to notice it now, thankfully that was being taken care of.

They ate their breakfast in silence, occasionally meeting eyes and looking away quickly- Inanna was also busy with her meal. Between the silences between them, looking at a blank spot on the wall and trying their best not to make eye contact until they were finished- Muriel got up from his seat and took the plates, cleaned up everything and returned with a shy look on his face, he knew he had to help Sitare learn how to walk- but he wasn’t quite sure how to do that. How is he supposed to teach her?

“Will you try to walk.” He states, following his habit of not quite giving questions the proper tone. He did not expect Sitare’s excited, cheerful reaction- she seemed enthusiastic about learning. Muriel noticed the wide smile on her face, he pouted and scratched at his chin. “Why are you so excited, it’s just walking.” He shrugs it off- not wanting to acknowledge that he found her… cute.

“I will be more helpful to you if I know how to do it properly.” Sitare explains, already getting on her feet- Muriel reacted quickly, his hands almost touching her shoulders as he hesitated, but ultimately pushed her down so she was sitting again. Looking confused, the maiden raised a brow and waited for an explanation- as expected, Muriel did not respond with words, rather with actions. 

He moved to clear up a hallway space so she could have plenty of room to walk and she wouldn’t be running into things, going as far as to move some furniture. Once he was finished, he looked at his work with a neutral face (better than a frown, right?) and approached Sitare again, offering his arm without meeting eyes. This was already embarrassing enough to be holding eye contact, which would only make it worse.

Sitare gladly held onto it and got to her feet- each time she did that, her legs were getting more and more used to carrying her weight so they didn’t instantly give up on her and fail. He extended his arm so she could follow his guide and walk after him- they were so close to being holding hands, but they weren’t quite there yet. After a little bit of walking the range he gave her and managing to catch her when she was too close to losing her balance- he gently removed his arm and only offered his hand as guidance for the rest of the walk.

It took her a while, not being fully used to this but not wanting to give up so early- she knew she would need a lot more practice, but this was a good progress for the first time! Sitare was determined and that reflected on her face- she couldn’t just not keep trying. They walked hand in hand for a bit, going back and forth the little path he had created for her- every now and then Sitare had to support herself on nearby surfaces to keep her steady.

“Place your weight on your feet.” Muriel suggests, that would make things easier for her and it would certainly not make her lose her balance so much and so often. “Try only raising one foot when the other is already on the ground…” He doesn’t really have an idea of what he’s doing, but he wants to be useful and helpful to her- besides, she seems to be really passionate about getting this right and mastering this skill.

“You’re doing… well.” He adds, trying to be encouraging and nice to her- he’s not naturally nice, he has never been, but a part of him just doesn’t want to be rude to Sitare. “Careful.” He acts fast to pull her back to both of her feet when she manages to slip on the wooden floor- she was doing quite a good job, he has even lost track of time. For how long have they been practicing together? It sure couldn’t have been that long! But now that he noticed, Inanna was nowhere to be found.

“Inanna went out a bit ago.” Sitare responds, as if she had read his mind, not looking up from her feet- she was still too focused on placing one in front of the other and not losing her footing- who knows, maybe after a few more rounds she would be fully able to run around like other people. “Muriel, I want to try something.”

“What.”

“Stand over there-“, she points at the other end of the path with her free hand, “and wait for me. I want to try and walk on my own to see if I’ve got the hang of this.”

“Won’t you fall? What if you lose your balance?” He asks hurriedly, not really wanting to let go of her. He can’t have her getting hurt again, that would only cause more troubles later.

“Then I’ll just get up, I can do that.” Sitare chuckles, patting his forearm to reassure him she would be alright. “Besides, I know you will catch me if I do fall- so I’m not worried.” As much as the man wanted to deny that, both of them knew she was correct- he frowned and slowly let go of her hand.

“If you say so.” He walks to the opposite side of where she was and stood there, waiting for her to make her way towards him- anxiously expecting her to trip on her way and fall, he tried to force himself not to be tense (or at least not to show it) and shoved the thoughts of imminent pain and injuries away- he needed to be ready and focused in case she did need his help at some point.

“Okay- here goes nothing!” Sitare exclaims, excited.

Step by step, she was walking- sure, it was on the slower end of the action but it was getting done anyways, that is what mattered to the two of them. Sitare seemed to be gaining more confidence with each step she took, adding a bit more of speed now that she was sure she could be steady- moving sideways a time or two, but always getting back on the center of the track so she could reach him safely.

Muriel was, well, nervous. But he kept looking, wanting the process to go a bit faster so he didn’t have to be thinking about the what-ifs of the situation- sure, he was able to mute his thoughts for a minute, but that didn’t quite take the awkward and uncomfortable sensation from the pit of his stomach. He could also tell there was a little bit of happiness in the emotion mix he was feeling, he did know he was happy that she was making so much progress in so little time.

At some point of her walk, she stopped for a second to look up at him and smiled at him- both alleviating his tension and adding to the bits of joy that were starting to form within him. Muriel didn’t smile back, he tends not to, he usually resorts to calling himself unable to do so- but there’s an internal one that no one but him can sense, hidden away from prying eyes.

“See- I’m doing well!”

“…Keep going.”

There she went, taking steps and moving forward- she was happy she had practiced before trying this, at least now she knew more or less where she should put her weight. Sure, it was a bit too soon for her to do any more than this, but it was good. Almost there, almost there- just a couple of steps more and- ah! Sitare tripped on her own feet- stumbling and falling.

Of course, Muriel hurried to catch her before she actually hit the ground- though he was careless and didn’t pay attention to his own balance when getting her in his arms so, instead of breaking her fall and getting her on her feet, he went down to the ground before her and had her land on his chest.

Sitare sat up a bit, looking at him before chuckling and shaking her head lightly. “Sorry, I don’t know what happened there- but thank you for getting me!” She leans forward to get a better look at his face, but he sits up and she moves away as a reaction. He had his knees on either side of her and his arms were still around her- though once he noticed, he let go of her and looked away. Sitare eyed him curiously- “Are you alright, Muriel?”

“Yes.” He responds dryly, blushing and lowering his head so she didn’t really get to look at him. What had he been thinking? Acting so recklessly like that- but he doesn’t care about that now. “Are you unhurt.”

“Yes, I’m fine. Don’t worry about that.” She looks at her legs- they feel a bit tired from all the walking. “Though I think that was it for today’s lesson, don’t you agree?” No response from him, but before he could get up from the ground, Sitare moved a strand of his hair to tuck it behind his ear- pressing a light kiss on his cheek, causing his flushed face to be all sorts of red.

“Thank you for helping me with this, Muriel. We can keep trying tomorrow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> again with taking a longer time to update the story, oops. i'll be starting with school again fairly soon, but it is in my plans not to let the story go more than two weeks without an update, as i do want to finish this.
> 
> anyways, this chapter is dedicated and a birthday gift to the friend that has been supporting me with this story since the very beginning! happy birthday, girl! love you lots.
> 
> we're also @eclipseblessed on tumblr, if you'd like to contact us.
> 
>  
> 
> **\- Tonatiuh.**


	6. Deep Dive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sitare has been getting better at walking and Muriel is getting back to having a routine- they haven't forgotten they have a mission and the time to start finding some information has come, besides, they get to spend some time together and learn a bit more about each other.

### Chapter 6: Deep Dive.

  
  
“Wake up, Sitare.”

No response. Muriel opens the door, as he had been for the last week or so. At this point, he knows he should just expect Sitare to be asleep until he personally approached and gently shook her awake. Unsurprisingly, he found her still resting on the bed, her hair a complete mess- a cloud of black curls that went blue at the ends. He still hesitates a bit before resting his hand on her shoulder and gently shaking her- almost too gently for it to really do anything.

“Wake up.” He repeats, a bit more sternly this time- they had a list of things to do that day, the earlier they started with them the better for him, it would mean he would be back home sooner. Once she gives a hint that she’s waking up, he removes his hand and steps back to give her space- pretending he didn’t make contact with her.

Sitare’s eyes flutter open, she stretches and yawns- only when she sits up does she notice the disaster her hair has become, she truly does have a bad bedhead that she hadn’t had to deal with before this. 

The strands that usually cover part of her face are all in different directions and there’s a clear view of her whole face- she rubs her eyes and turns to look at Muriel, and he finally notices they’re two different shades of blue. Ah, must be more common among merfolk- he doesn’t mind.

“Morning…” her voice is clumsy and lazy, it was clear she was still not fully awake but was slowly getting there. She shifts and moves the covers so she can get up from bed- then it is noticed that she had taken a shirt of Muriel’s to wear as a dress. Upon fully taking that realization, Muriel’s cheeks gained a red tint to them- for how long had she been doing that without him noticing? He shook his head.

“…Morning. Your food is ready.” And without another word, he exits the room and leaves Sitare by herself. Of course that, by now, Muriel had already eaten breakfast and taken Inanna out for a walk (even if he hadn’t, the wolf could go by herself) so he was leaving for his daily sells.

It was a sort of routine they had lazily thrown together in hopes that it made sense to the two of them- Muriel woke up before, cooked and let Inanna out, went fishing, returned to wake up the maiden and headed outside again to the market. While he was busy there, Sitare got breakfast and explored the town a little bit with Inanna’s company- they returned to the cottage once Muriel was done with the selling.

Thanks to this routine, Sitare had the opportunity to practice her walking- she had improved a lot! She still managed to trip every now and then (giving both Inanna and Muriel a scare) - but for the most part, everything was going alright. Moreover, with all the time that she had, she did get the chance to go around and buy clothes for herself- Asra visited randomly and told her she would need more comfortable clothes to explore a forest, thus he got her some cloaks, boots and dresses.  
   
He had left, so she was guessing it would be like the past days- she got on her feet and walked to a nearby mirror to brush her hair and get ready for the day. After having breakfast, Inanna was ready to walk out the door with Sitare- sure, that would be fine. The maiden followed the wolf and grabbed a bag where she kept her useful things, then locked the door once they were outside- she had gotten used to not be waited for by either the fisherman or his companion, they did stop whenever they had gone too far but… they didn’t really wait for her. That was fine; she did her best to catch up.

Once reunited, Inanna gently bumped her head against Sitare’s leg to get her attention- once she made sure she was being looked at, Inanna started going on a new route, was she taking her somewhere else? Sitare followed mindlessly, she doesn’t even have to think about it before she’s heading to the same place as the wolf. They walked for a bit, Sitare didn’t really mind the people she passed by- she was sure they didn’t recognize her and would take her for a visitor; she kept her mind focused on Inanna as they had their morning stroll.

It took some minutes for them to get to their destination- once they were there, Sitare noticed a familiar silhouette gathering his things and taking down a stand. She approached, leaning to meet eyes with him- because Muriel wasn’t expecting to see her there, he was taken aback by her presence and he stepped back, causing the hood of his coat to fall from where it was, giving a full view of his face.

“Hello!” She greets him with a smile on her face- clearly curious about what he was doing. Sure, he had told her about what he does in a normal day, but she had never really gotten to see it.

“…Hey.” He replies once he calms down, continuing to get his things in place and trying not to mind her too much. It doesn’t take him that long to finish what he is doing and soon he has everything gathered- he seems to be able to carry all his items without making a real effort, it honestly seemed like he could carry it all with one arm only. Muriel deemed that as normal, Sitare was quite impressed by that and… her expression gave it away.

“What were you doing?” She asks, blue eyes not quite moving from the spot, her voice giving away all the curiosity she felt but was keeping concealed. 

“…Selling.” He takes a moment to answer, but eventually does- it wasn’t unlikely for him to take a couple of minutes before speaking or continuing his sentences, but there was no reason to mind that. Muriel frowns, not really wanting to talk a lot about what he did, but knowing that Sitare would just continue to ask him questions until she was satisfied with the information she got- she had always done that during the time they had been living together. “I told you I sell what I fish… well, I do it here.”

“And now you’ll return home to set everything in place and ready for tomorrow?”

He nods silently, but it also looks like he has something else to say and isn’t finding the words for. He opens his mouth and closes it, the furrow of his brow increases and he looks away- unsure of what he should be saying or doing next. He knew they had a task to complete that day, considering that Sitare was healing very well and they hadn’t made any progress on the investigation they were supposed to do… but how could he tell her?

Inanna bumps her snout against Muriel’s leg and whined, it seemed to Sitare that they were able to understand each other more than she could with either- they talked a lot. Muriel hears her and frowns, scowling and shaking his head as if to tell Inanna she didn’t have to say anything to him- he turns and makes a start to head to the cottage and put his equipment back in place. He takes some steps and upon noticing Sitare wasn’t quite following- he turns his head and looks at her- pouting. “Are you coming.”

His voice got Sitare out of her thoughts- she nodded and went ahead to catch up with him- she’d rather they wait for her, honestly. Sitare felt her ankle wanting to give up on her at some point during the short jog she went for to catch up- a quick betrayal that was voiced with a light squeak coming from her, Muriel turned and reached to get her before she could fall. Right, she had been practicing… but she still wasn’t perfect when it came to doing anything faster than a fast walk- she ended pressed to his chest and with his arms keeping her safe, she didn’t really notice her feet weren’t touching the ground.

“Thank you. Sorry, I still need to work on that… I’ll be running in no time.” Sitare dangles her feet a little once she didn’t feel anything under them- the movement making Muriel notice he was lifting her. Blushing and looking everywhere but at her, he puts her back down and offers his arm to keep the two of them at the same pace- it’s still hard to get used to caring for someone else when he’s always been on his own. Of course, she cheerfully took it.

The walk seemed shorter this time, perhaps because Muriel set a steadier pace and they were not distracted- they soon were back at the cottage, but Muriel looked to the side and down to Sitare, who was expecting him to open the door. “Stay here.” He states, not bothering to soften his words or their delivery- Sitare turns to see him, an eyebrow raised and a rightfully confused look on her face. “There’s something… we need to do.” A pause “Now that you’re healed… it’ll be easier.” He opens the door and goes in, leaving Sitare outside with Inanna.

Sitare still couldn’t read his face- his features always had a tint of grumpiness to them, but outside from that… it still took her a while to figure out how he was feeling. She sighed, getting on her knees to pet the wolf and give her some affection- her dark locks shielding her from the sun but making the heat worse.

Her hands moved from Inanna’s fur to her bag- searching a ribbon she was sure she had stuffed inside there before going out, rummaging for a bit before taking her hand out and revealing she had been victorious. Mindlessly putting her hair up in a ponytail and returning to Inanna, she barely heard any movement inside and she was surely taken aback by the door being opened again.

Sitare looked up and met eyes with Muriel, his expression changed from the usual neutral to an embarrassed one- did he always blush so easily? It made the maiden giggle to herself- a natural playfulness coming to her and displaying in a subtle grin on her face.

“Do I look pretty?”

“What..?!”

He almost chokes on his own spit, that’s obvious. He spends some mortifying seconds clearing his throat several times and blushing harder than before- what was with that question? Muriel feels himself sweating a little from the embarrassment.

Sitare laughs audibly, a hand of hers moving to cover her mouth and muffle all the little giggles that were following- the look in Muriel’s face was fascinating to watch, the speed at which his expression changed was also notable.

“Do I look pretty, Muriel?” Sitare asks again once she had managed to stifle her laughter and go back to being calm, though she had to make herself hold it back every now and then.

Muriel was still battling with himself to find the proper words to use to reply to such a question- he doesn’t know what to do, his eyes are darting and there’s a light nervousness added to his expression that just made this funnier for Sitare. She didn’t mind if he said no, she also wouldn’t really mind if he just preferred not to reply… but there’s a little part of her that knows she will be a bit happier if he says yes, a little spark of happiness that made her feel fuzzy and warm.

“…Yes?” He mutters, almost inaudibly- Sitare had to lean in to catch the words he was saying. After spitting that out, his blush worsened (even more? This man was full of surprises) and he scratched the back of his head- he frowns and crosses his arms. “Whatever. We’re wasting time… let’s head to the library.”

“What for?” She gets back up on her feet and pats Inanna’s head one last time, the wolf didn’t seem to mind the loss of attention- she stretches and walks off to mind her own business.

“We need to investigate the forest… before we look for answers, we must know what we’re looking for. Otherwise it’s useless.” They wouldn’t even know where to begin or what to look out for- since this forest did have some stories to its name, it was not unlikely to hear some stories about people going missing after entering this magic forest with ill intentions, or trees making it appear as a labyrinth. So, naturally it was advisable not to go without information on their side.

Muriel looked at her for a moment, it was clear that neither of them were very convinced about going to this forest and trying to find something out- but there was no one else who could do it. He shook his head, not wanting to enter a trance of eye contact between the two of them- beginning the walk to the library, knowing that she would react and follow him before he got too out of her sight and she could no longer tell where he was heading.

Clearly, Sitare moved quickly and went on to hold onto his arm to keep herself at a good rhythm while walking- she didn’t want to be left behind and, well, she didn’t really know the way to this library he was mentioning. They walked together for a bit, the locals giving the two of them some looks- the people that had seen Muriel during the years he has been living in the area had never seen him with someone that wasn’t Asra- let alone for someone to be holding onto his arm like this. 

An old lady that liked to chat with him when they had the chance passed by and gently smiled at Muriel when they met eyes- her smile becoming wider when she noticed Sitare was there.  
   
Of course she noticed the amount of people that were looking at them- Sitare felt self-conscious, getting closer to Muriel and hoping that his presence alone was enough to nullify hers so people would stop. “They’re looking at us…” She whispered, not being sure how to act- sure she had gotten some weird looks when she had been walking around on her own around town, but never this much. Muriel nodded and closed his eyes for a moment- he, too, could feel the stares and was getting quite uncomfortable.

Thankfully, the library wasn’t far, they reached it sooner than Sitare had imagined. It seems to be a large building with some years to its name, but the foundations are strong enough to remain stable. Muriel opens the door, it did have a little sign hanging in front that let them know they were accepting people to come in- gesturing lightly so she comes in first and he can close the door behind them, he ducks the doorframe and avoids hitting himself in the head with some decorations other people could walk underneath easily.

The library seems to be rather empty- a silent attendant sitting behind a desk, waving at Muriel and signing a greeting for him. It did seem like they had known each other for quite a bit since the fisherman didn’t seem to mind the interaction- he nodded as a way of responding and got closer to the desk, not taking Sitare with him. Her eyes follow him, though, to keep up with what he was doing- seeing him gently move his hands and sometimes clumsily sign a couple of things, the notion of him making an effort being fully present. The attendant signed back, far more quickly and pointed him in some directions- after it seemed like Muriel had understood what they were meaning to tell him, he signed one last time and approached Sitare again.

“You know sign language?” She asks, not surprised, her youngest brother uses it too.

“…Yes. Follow me.” He moves without giving any more information, directing himself to the sections he had been instructed. Sitare mindlessly goes after him, giving herself the chance to look around the place for a bit- she could spot some protection charms in some corners and hung in some spots- the magic felt familiar to Asra’s. “Nevzat said we would find useful books around here. Perhaps… we’ll find something about the forest and cures inside it.” Muriel adds while his gentle hands were already hesitantly moving from one shelf to the other- green eyes scanning for titles.

Sitare gets an idea, she closes her eyes and focuses her energy into her magic- thinking of herself as a compass for the information they needed, it took some tries for her to get on a concentration zone that would be functional for the two of them. As she used her stamina to keep herself in this concentration zone, her feet began moving without her thinking about it, it was almost as if she already knew the way and she was only coming back home after a long day- she can feel something calling out to her and hanging onto her magic to be noticed, she’s going after a strong source of energy that’s refusing to stay quiet while she’s so sensitive to her surroundings.

It takes Muriel a minute to notice what she’s doing and that she’s already left his side, he turns his head to look for her and quickly gets her back in his sight, she has walked off to a different section of the library- he raises an eyebrow and follows her, from the way the ambiance feels around them he can guess that she’s using magic. It is only when he can see her hands moving to reach a book that was far too high for her to reach does he move, walking to the spot she’s standing in and taking the book to place it in her hands.

Sitare, however, makes no effort to take it from him- she simply lets it rest on Muriel’s hands and opens it to flip through pages once she’s re-centered herself back in the moment. Muriel can immediately see that this book is not written in a language that he knows- the symbols are unfamiliar to him, but the relieved smile on Sitare’s face tells him that she might know it. Good, he thinks, it was better that at least one of them understood the texts so they could get more information from wherever they could.

“Is this…?”

“Is it a mermaid language? Yes.” Sitare answers his question before he can finish phrasing it, she flips through some more pages before she apparently finds something that pleases her- placing a finger at the first line and following it, her voice stringing phrases in a way that didn’t sound exactly human- of course, he has been told that magical creatures like her have ways of communicating quite different from those humans use, it almost sounds like she’s singing as she reads some parts out loud.

“Deep in the forest, a fountain you shall find. Answers… ah, this part is faded.” She translates some lines that she found important, taking some time to process sentences before translating.

Muriel hesitates to interrupt her while she’s reading, but curiosity gets the best of him and he mutters a question while keeping the book in the same spot so she can keep on searching. “W-where did you learn our language…?” Because he guessed she had to take some time out of her confusing lifespan to learn it to this high level- where she could hold conversations with him using complex words and good pronunciation.

Sitare looks up from the text and meets eyes with Muriel, she was surprised he was curious about her since she usually was the one asking him questions and wanting to know more about him. She smiles faintly- “Father has always liked teaching us new things- so he did his best to teach the four of us a variety of human languages while we were growing up.” The gentleness of her smile was slowly replaced with a bit of nervousness as she cut off eye contact and went back to reading the book- letting out an awkward chuckle.

He takes a moment to remember Laegjarn and how intimidating he looked when they first met- it was clear he cared very much for his children- then he returns his focus to the conversation and notices… an odd vibe. “…What is it?” Muriel can tell something went off in that interaction and that… mattered to him, as wild as that was to him. He didn’t have time to question why he was suddenly caring about it.

“Oh, nothing!” She replies, but she knew it was not a really good answer after the little discomfort she had displayed just a moment ago. “It’s just more common for a mermaid to learn human languages than it is for a human to learn our ways of communication…” is there a way to say this without making the conversation odd for the two of them? More to him than to her, but she wishes this could be avoided- but the question would be inevitable. 

“We merfolk are often hunted, not known about or generally disliked because we’re… different. I’ve noticed this tends to bother humans- that’s why we usually stay away from the shore- we prefer safety.”  
   
There’s a bit of silence- but Muriel completely understands what she means when she says people are often scared and uncomfortable when they see something or someone different- this has happened to him too many times before and he has lost sensibility to it. He’s indifferent to those types of reactions by now, but he still disliked seeing other people being treated like that- he can’t begin to imagine how it must be for someone like Sitare, when all he had to stand were looks.

“I’m sorry.” He says, there’s really nothing else he could be saying in this situation because nothing is appropriate- there’s no way he can know the full extent of the problem since he’s just an outsider, but he can imagine how bad it could get seeing as to how casually in danger Jaiden had been some time ago and how… unimpressed he seemed by the whole encounter. Sitare shook her head and shrugged, perhaps wanting to make it seem like it wasn’t a big deal.

He can tell that she’s hurting- the pained look on her face was clear enough to give her real feelings away and leave them sort of exposed; he wondered just how much pain she’s had to endure. But asking wouldn’t be right- Muriel’s heart has an odd response to the sight of a glassy look on her eyes, it feels tighter and it begins to sting, he feels hurt and a bit of sorrow… it hurt him to see her sad, but why? 

He doesn’t understand his feelings, he almost never does, and he keeps them away- he wonders, then, if Sitare would also feel this way if she ever saw him in pain. Would her heart sting, too? Would she feel the need to do something for him, too?

Perhaps there’s a way to salvage this by softly redirecting the topic to something else. Muriel clears his throat and shifts his weight from one foot to the other, there was a question he wanted an answer… could it be the saving he had hoped for? “Is there… a way a human can learn your language?” Potentially useful for him later on, considering how lucky he was when it came to encountering merfolk and somehow making them want to stay around.

The mood seemed to improve, since the sorrow that was visible on her eyes had gone away without leaving any trace of it behind. “There are some ways… though the fastest one is quite unconventional- not something you would expect works that easily.” A playful look on her face and it was clear the regular Sitare was back with him. “But I know humans would consider the process… a bit awkward, to say the least.”

“…Do I want to know what it is?” He asks, unsure if an answer would make this better.

“I suppose not right now, though I do have to say it’s nothing too out of the ordinary! It takes only a moment, no more than a few seconds- but I know the value your kind places on this action.” She replies, turning a page and finding more information they could use in their favor during their trip. “So really, I suggest just sticking to traditional ways of learning. It takes some years, but it does the job.” She closes the book and nods to him. “We’ll need this book.”

“Did you find something useful?” He asks, placing the book under his arm to keep it there while they searched for some others- this one they would probably have to take with them to their journey, so it was better to keep it there as not to forget it later.

“Yes. It didn’t really say what we would find or where we would find it… it does say the forest has a connection to the sea and that we may find someone there who could help us. The only problem being… it doesn’t really say how to find them- but we could find something around here.” Sitare gets closer to the bookshelf and searching through the titles offered- Muriel nods, it seemed like a good way to start their investigation.

“…Would you teach me some of your language?” He shyly asks, if she made any teasing comment he would say he just thought it would be better if the two of them could read it to find information faster and more easily. He’s frowning lightly, he doesn’t know why, but he does.

“Oh? Would you really want to learn?” But she gives him no time to answer, if he was the one making a question like that then it was more than clear he had the intention to learn. She hummed as she kept looking through books, moving them aside and picking some out to check if they had relevant information somewhere visible- setting some on the side to give a quick read to later and putting some others back to keep searching. “Sure, I’ll teach you.”

Silence again, it’s become more comfortable for the two of them to be in complete silence and share the peace together. It feels different, it feels welcoming, as if they had taken their home with them and they were safe from everything.

“You know… maybe I’ll even try the quick way to teach you- that way you’ll find out what the method is.” Sitare looks at him for a brief second, winking at him and returning to her task.

“I cannot tell if… that’s good or bad.”

“You’ll see!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i took a bit longer to update, again. i recently started with school again, they had no mercy and already assigned a lot of projects, rip. i don't want this semester to get in the way of me writing and updating, so i'll do my best to update at least once every two weeks.
> 
> we're on @eclipseblessed, if you'd like to contact us!
> 
>  
> 
> **\- Tonatiuh**


	7. Getting Prepared

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's obvious that there's something else they haven't found out about living in the forest- so the only way to get real answers is visiting and seeing everything for themselves- though, before that, they should really think about what they'll take to this trip and Muriel should get some good rest, Sitare knows this very well.

### Chapter 7: Getting Prepared.

  
  
  
Investigating about the forest was not an easy task- the information they had was somewhat limited and the books they had gathered were also full of myths and unconfirmed theories, they also didn’t know if anyone knew anything about it. Muriel sighed and turned another page to keep reading, green eyes scanning the words printed on the paper and trying to find anything that seemed relevant- so far, all they have found are mentions of something that lives within the forest that had answers to all of their questions related to the magic connecting with the sea.

Sitare closed the first book she had found, the one written in her language, she brought her hands to her eyes and rubbed them to try and get the exhaustion off- since their visit to the library, they had spent so much time reading and analyzing information they had barely spent time doing anything else. Muriel went outside to sell and let Inanna out, Sitare woke up and began her search; Muriel came back and joined until they were both too tired to go on.

“Have you found anything interesting, Muriel?” She asks, getting up from her seat and moving closer to him so she could take a peek at his reading material- she scans the page and gently rests her hands on his shoulders, leaning over to get a better look at what he was doing, noticing how tired he looked upon closer inspection.

“Here-“ he turns the page again and points out a paragraph in the middle of it, not bothering to look at Sitare. “This book mentions that there is a sage inside the forest, near the fountain that we’re supposed to find… I suppose this… might be important.” He closes the book and runs a hand through his hair- strands falling back on his face and covering bits of his expression, though it is still obvious that he’s tired and could use some sleep.

Sitare hummed as she took in what he said- their research has had some progresses, they had been writing down what they found most interesting and possibly useful- but she knew it was high time they got a break from all the research… especially since they would be leaving the cottage to head to the forest this week, once the protection charms Asra had offered to make were done and they received a positive answer from her father, it would be best if they took a little time for themselves to get as much rest as they possibly could to be fresh for the trip.

With her hands still on his shoulders, she noticed a bit of tension in them- she mindlessly pressed them and noticed just how… tight they were from all the stress he had been keeping inside. Furrowing her brow and trying again- this time she obtained a strangled complaint from Muriel, was he really so tense all the time? She couldn’t have that- she summoned some of her magic in her hands and focused on finding the tensest spots. Muriel reacted to her touch by tensing even more- but not quite getting out of the spot he was in.

“W-what are you doing?” He asks nervously, his mind and heart racing.

Sitare sighed audibly, lowering her head so he could hear her words better- but by being so close she only managed to make Muriel even more nervous than he already was. She finds another tense spot and presses on it to see if she can get rid of it- once she does and Muriel complains, she tilts her head. “I’m helping you relax- you need as much rest as you can get.”

He shakes his head, as if to indicate that there was nothing to be worried about and she didn’t have to be doing anything for him- still, it didn’t seem like she had any intention of leaving him with that tension and pain weighing him down. Silently and slowly, he gives in to her tending and care- it’s not that bad, sure, the pressure at first is uncomfortable but once she gets rid of the knots of nerves he has on his shoulders and neck, he feels more relaxed than before… he kind of doesn’t remember when it was the last time that he felt like this.

Sitare was using healing magic to accelerate the process and intensify the results, knowing that it would probably mean he would finally catch up on the hours of sleep he has been missing… and that could take a light toll on their adventure plans. For this reason, she makes a big effort to regulate the magic that is pouring from her hands and onto his shoulder blades.

It takes her a bit to really work her way down his back- making sure her hands didn’t get too low for him to be uncomfortable. Muriel had complained about the little bits of discomfort and pain that the spot-searching had caused him, but they were always quickly relieved by a fast movement of the maiden’s hand- the further down she went, the harder he found it to remain on his seat (or even awake) but, deep within him, he still had a bit of willpower to keep going with his investigation. If only, though, if only he was strong enough to actually reach for the notes he had been making… his body had given up on him for the moment.

“You’re falling asleep- how much have you been sleeping lately?” Sitare asks, her voice soft but clear enough for him to still be able to understand her while his consciousness was drifting in and out- she furrows her brow and bites her bottom lip, a wave of guilt hitting her and tugging at her gut so she couldn’t ignore it. She takes in a deep breath and lets her hands rest on his back- she gets closer to speak to him, but she doesn’t really make an effort to even face him, even if he wasn’t looking at her. “You have been letting me stay in your room and in your bed, you probably aren’t getting much rest on your couch, are you?” Sitare sighs, eyes fluttering shut.

He doesn’t respond verbally, but he hums- in all honesty, he didn’t have any problem with staying on his couch since she was using his room, he knew it wouldn’t be going on forever (or at least it wasn’t intended to last forever) and his living room was quite cozy and comfortable- besides, Inanna didn’t really like to leave him alone during the night so he had her company all those times. Still, he kind of misses his bed, but he wouldn’t just ask her to switch places with him- as much as he doesn’t like that fact.

Without wasting more time, Sitare gently slides one of her hands down his shoulder, arm and stops at his hand, gently taking it in hers and tugging lightly so he stood up from his seat. Muriel was a bit startled by the gentle contact (just enough to make him mostly conscious again) and his eyes darted to the spot they were touching, the characteristic pinkish hues coloring his cheeks and face again, but not quite invading it this time… it was lighter, as if he had grown more comfortable with this kind of interaction with her.

“What are you doing.” He manages to ask, his grumbly voice sounding as upset as ever, but having the smallest bit of gentleness to it this time… odd, but it must be because he’s so sleepy he can’t actually be that rude to anyone. Sitare chuckles at his confusion, which only makes him furrow his brow and look a little bit more severe about what was happening around the two of them.

“W-what are you doing.” He repeats as he’s getting to his feet and taking the first few steps with her as his guide, almost like he hadn’t been the one teaching her how to use her legs to walk. This time she comes to a halt and eyes him, almost looking annoyed that he keeps asking the same question over and over, as if the answer wasn’t obvious.

“You’re sleeping on your bed this time so you can get all the sleep you need.” She goes back to directing him to his room- “How will we find what we’re looking for if you can barely stay awake right now, Muriel?” She asks, finally getting him to go through the doorway to his room and taking short and slow steps until she had managed to get him close enough to the bed.

It doesn’t take long before he’s sitting down on the bed and Sitare’s gently pushing him down by placing her hands on his chest and pressing until he’s lying on his back. Muriel seems to be flustered and refusing to meet eyes with the maiden, but he doesn’t protest- he knows he kind of needs that rest, but he would rather just go back to sleeping on the couch as he had been doing in the past month or so. His eyelids are too heavy for him to keep them open, but his mind is still going a bit faster than he would like, it would take him some effort to fall asleep.

“I have…trouble falling asleep…most of the time.” Muriel speaks softly, he knows that the moment he tries to allow his consciousness to fully drift away from him, it will return fully and he won’t be able to be asleep soon. He doesn’t like this, really, he would prefer if he could fall asleep easily and if he didn’t wake up after a couple of hours, only to have to repeat the process of trying to fall asleep and not achieving it- he doesn’t expect to be met with a chuckle of hers. “I will take… too long to doze off.” He complains again, as if that would actually stop her.

Sitare shook her head and placed a hand on his cheek- rubbing her thumb against his skin, if Muriel had more energy than he had right now, he would blush furiously and lose all his ability to keep speaking. “Don’t worry!” Her hand retreats and she finishes making sure he’s in a comfortable position to fall asleep- she knows there’s something she could do to help him out in this situation, since she has been in tune with her magic these days. He shifts on the bed and she waits for him to be still, once he’s done she can notice that he doesn’t even use that much space on the bed- she climbs on it and gets closer to him.

Muriel knows that, when he least expects it, he will be fully awake once more and then he won’t be able to reconcile sleep- it’s always like this. He’s already made up his mind on what activity he will do once that happens to him and for this reason, he’s too distracted to hear Sitare moving and only becomes aware of how close the two of them are when he feels her gently guiding him to rest his head on her and her fingers running through his hair.

“What’s this f-for…” He asks, notoriously embarrassed and expecting himself to shrink away from the touch to focus on anything but her affection. He can feel himself getting even more relaxed than before, with these simple little actions, but his heart also has a hint of confusion. Something within him tells him he should not become that close with Sitare, he feels as if something fluttered relentlessly inside him and wouldn’t let him completely fall asleep, even when all his surroundings were relaxing and his exhaustion was threatening to knock him out.

Then he heard her soft, shy singing voice- she wasn’t a siren, her songs would not enchant him as far as he knew, but there was just no way she hadn’t infused the words with some sort of magic to make him fall asleep… he didn’t last a second after taking in the first few notes.

Sitare noticed he was soundly asleep after having sung a couple of verses- his calm yet very audible breathing was enough to tell her that he had successfully given in to his tiredness. That didn’t stop her from finishing the whole song to make sure he would remain asleep the rest of the night- she sure knew that her songs had no natural enchantment to them, but she could slip some of her skill into her singing voice to get others to rest and be peaceful. One of her hands still running through his black hair, soothing him by gently rubbing his back with the other one.

One of the disadvantages of using her songs to make others fall asleep, though, is that she is not immune to her own spells and charm- she could last longer than those around her but she would inevitably fall victim of her own little trick. Sitare could feel herself closing her eyes and losing consciousness, but she could swear that the last thing she felt before passing out was the way Muriel wrapped his arms around her and brought her closer to him- she passed out while being held in his arms and listening to his heartbeat.

######  . 

He doesn’t know how many hours he has slept, but what he knows is that he can hear the birds chirping and the people that sometimes came to the beach- which could only mean it was well into the day. Muriel attempted to shift and stretch, but he found extra weight resting on him that wouldn’t allow him to move as freely- with one hand, he rubbed his eyes and slowly opened them, taking in the sight of his room being as still and as calm as ever.

From where he was, he could see Inanna resting on the foot of the bed, snoozing and snorting very lightly- he then finally turned his head and met with Sitare’s sleeping face, she had her eyes closed and her breathing was peaceful… wait! Now he remembers what happened before, she had insisted he got enough rest so he wasn’t exhausted during their trip to the forest and she had guided him to his bed, had she really stayed with him all night? His nervousness only got worse when he noticed he was holding her close to him and she had her hands on his chest- his stomach got a knot and he immediately started trying to think of what he should do.

Contrary to his racing mind- one clear thought managed to make itself louder than the others: Sitare looks pretty like this, with all her hair a mess and with no worries showing on her expression, as if she had also needed that amount of sleep. He thinks about how hard she had been trying to make him relax and he notices his tension is gone, his usually stiff neck has gone back to how it used to be so long ago- it’s impressive, but he acknowledges it must have taken quite the magic ability to make it work.

He also seems to notice that his chest feels tighter than it usually does- there’s something about having her so close to him and her looking so calm that makes him feel this way, but he can’t quite tell what it is. He can be sure he hasn’t felt this way before- but he also doesn’t know how to identify this feeling, the way his heart feels as if it was skipping beats or about to burst- how he never seemed to be able to meet eyes with her and how sometimes he found himself thinking about her while she was not around. He shook his head- there he went again, he shouldn’t be feeling like this, it would never be returned!

This seemed to awaken Sitare, who whined a little bit as she moved and stretched her legs- yawning and bringing her hands to her face to rub the sleepiness away from her eyes. She blinked a few times to take in all of her surroundings, making eye contact with him after recalling the events that led to the two of them ending up like this- so close to each other. “Hello.” She greets him with a sweet smile as she extends her hand to move some strands of hair out of the way to be able to look at him properly- he seems flustered and he doesn’t respond to her words.

Muriel manages to get his arm from underneath her and moves his hair back to where it was before- taking in a deep breath before pushing himself up and getting up from the bed. He seemed to be close to stumbling as he made his way to the door and, before exiting the room, he turned to look back at her for a brief moment- “We should get ready. We don’t have much time to get to the forest- we… still have work to do.” He doesn’t close the door, but he leaves Sitare on her own.

She sighed, looking at the space that was now empty- she hadn’t minded how lonesome the room felt before, she had grown used to having a lot of extra bedding when she went to sleep each day… but now his absence was too obvious for her and she didn’t like it. Sitare moved and placed a hand on a spot that had been occupied by Muriel just moments ago- reminiscing about the safety she felt while drifting away in the comfort of his embrace.

Sitare felt her heart fuzzy and warm when she thought about how peacefully and profoundly he had fallen asleep, how he had pulled her close and how they had spent their entire night huddled close together and listening to his heartbeat. But she knew it wouldn’t last, their time together would be finished once they had figured out a solution to the sea problem and she returned to her family- she knew he would forget about her and move on with his life, go back to the routine he had before meeting her and move on without that much effort.

The mere thought of that happening hurt her, something ached within her and she didn’t like it.

She sighed, shook her head and went to the closest mirror to fix her hair before exiting the room, being followed by Inanna. It was something she had told herself not to think about too much, but after sharing moments like these with him- she couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like if he returned the feelings she had for him… it was obvious he never would, but that alone would make her the happiest. Even then, being together would be too difficult, she preferred keeping him away from all that trouble and danger- it would be best for them to stay like this.

The rest of the day went rather fast- the two of them gathering all the things they would need for the journey they would go on. First aid? Extra water? Food they could prepare? They knew they would have to hunt at some point- and that was no problem for Muriel, but it would be better if they kept some resources safe in case they couldn’t find anything that would provide them with much energy. The books and the notes they found most useful, a change or two of clothes, an assortment of tools they would find useful in the woods- anything they could think of.

While they were getting ready, they didn’t speak much- they barely exchanged any word and they surely seemed to have gotten lost in their activities. It was noticeable when the two of them were too focused on what they were doing because the cottage would go completely silent- Sitare stealing glances at Muriel when he wasn’t looking and Muriel struggling not to get distracted by looking at her while she was working.

Tending to their meals today had not been in their plans, they were too busy making sure they weren’t missing anything. Sitare had even taken the time to go ahead and talk to her father and siblings about their plan and about new information that could have arisen- it seemed like everyone was ready to leave in their respective search for a cure of the ocean’s illness and they were quite happy they got to talk to Sitare, they wished her luck and a safe trip. It was only after the communication was over that she noticed just how much she missed being with them- but it was necessary, she had to do her best to find something to make things better.

They were still lost in their tasks when they heard the door be knocked- Sitare approached and opened, meeting eyes with Asra and smiling at the sight of him. She gestured for him to come in and take a seat- he carried a bag with him, he had been quite insistent on giving them a couple of gifts to keep them safe during their trip.

“I hope I am not too late?” He asks, dropping his bag on the nearest table and taking out its contents. A handful of charms, a green pouch that remained closed with a bit of rope, a colorful compass and some other objects Sitare couldn’t really make sense of- but she guessed they could be useful. Muriel peeks from the room he was in and approaches when he sees that it is Asra, coming closer and taking a look at all the things he had brought for them just to wish them luck and to ask them to remain safe.

Sitare glanced at the window, noticing how dark it had gotten already- she went for the door and turned to announce she was to leave. “I will check on Inanna, she has to return home before it’s too dark.” Having said that, she was out of the house before anyone could reply to her.

Asra sat and gestured for Muriel to take a seat with him, of course there would be things to be told about. The magician spent some time explaining what the objects were and when to use them, the green pouch was to be kept with him and the rest of the items could be help and kept by whoever wanted to carry them. Once he was done with the magic-talk, Asra rested his head on his hands and he leaned forward to be closer to Muriel- raising an eyebrow and his expression drawing that little grin he would get when he was onto something.

“So- you two have gotten closer, from what you tell me.” Asra winks at Muriel, making him blush and frown- it gets a soft laugh from the traveler, but it doesn’t seem like he’s only joking. “I’m glad you’re making more friends, though I sure hope you don’t let yourself hold back if your heart is saying something different.” His smile is more genuine this time, rather than teasing. They were alone together for some more minutes, Muriel not wanting to look at Asra after what he had said and the magician briefing the fisherman on everything that had happened since the last time they saw each other- he, too, was looking for a solution for all of this.

The door opened once more and Sitare was back, but Inanna walked in right before the maiden could step ahead- Asra stood up and placed a hand on Muriel’s shoulder to give him an encouraging look, they sometimes didn’t need words to express what they wanted the other to know… it really showed how close they were to each other. Asra got closer to Sitare and gave her a quick hug, also petting Inanna before heading to the exit.  
   
“You should get a good night’s sleep, you have a long journey ahead of yourselves. I’ll be preparing for my own trip, too. I will be in contact with the two of you, yes?” And he turns to Sitare, the emotion in his eyes pleading her to keep him safe from danger- Sitare nodded and waved goodbye. Muriel simply lowered his head as to bid him farewell and the lack of annoyance or severity in his gaze was enough to let Asra know that he was wishing him luck- the magician gave the two of them a warm smile and exited the cottage, a charm he carried glowing as he turned the doorknob and went outside.

“We should eat something.” Muriel suggests, considering that neither of them had eaten anything during the entire day from how focused they were on getting everything ready- he stood up from the table and went to the kitchen. Sitare followed in silence, helping him with the cooking and setting the table- the meal they shared was a quiet one, they really had not cared much for themselves that day and that had taken a light toll on them. Still, they were at least satisfied with having everything set for the next day- they wouldn’t need to worry or rush.

Once the food was done, the two of them cleaned everything up and stood in front of Muriel’s room doorframe- both knowing they had got the best sleep they’ve had in the month they’ve lived together by sharing the bed, but not really finding the appropriate way to word the request.

Muriel felt a tug of anxiety and remorse, he just knew it wasn’t a good idea to keep getting so close to her because he would end up hurting once this trip was over- but he didn’t want her to be away from him. Conflicted feelings reflected on his shift of expression, not understanding your feelings was a frustrating experience- but he was interrupted by Sitare hesitantly taking his hand in hers and briefly meeting eyes with him.

“Let’s go.” She says, softly, a sweet and gentle smile gracing the phrase and making some of his doubts go away. Sitare walks in the room and guides him again, Muriel squeezed her hand as a way of reassuring her that he would not go away this time. Each of them found a spot in the bed and laid together, awkwardly trying to decipher what would be proper and what they shouldn’t do- yesterday it had been easier because Muriel had been half-asleep already, but now? They were nervous and a bit embarrassed.

Muriel, in an attempt to make it less awkward for the two of them, wraps an arm around Sitare and slowly brings her closer to him. This closeness allowing them to feel safe and relax- the two of them allowing themselves to drift off in the comfort of a calming embrace, hoping that their journey would allow them to return safely and provide a solution to their problems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i refuse to let school defeat me and have me stop updating this story, especially since i'm so pumped to actually get this story to its ending. anyway! since i already have a good portion of my school projects started and worked on, i'll probably be taking more time to write this and keep @eclipseblessed on tumblr more active.
> 
> thanks for your patience, as always!!
> 
> **\- Tonatiuh.**


	8. Fear of Loss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trip to the forest can’t be delayed anymore- there’s something calling out to them and they need to respond. The silence and stillness of the place makes them be aware of what they feel but, are they the only ones that know what their heart is saying? It seems like something is listening to them and responding accordingly…

### Chapter 8: Fear of Loss.

The first bits of sunshine were shy to come in through the curtains, the sun was still about to rise and bathe everything with its light- that’s when Muriel shifted in his sleep and felt his consciousness coming back to him little by little. A soft groan leaving him as he stretched and tried to gather all his thoughts and memories so he was back to fully functioning- while that happened, he felt Sitare’s head resting on his chest, embarrassment took ahold of him for a moment, unsure of what to do or how to react… when had she got so close to him?

Thoughts began to swarm in his head, feelings mixing and being unsure of what he should do about this situation- when he looked at her, she looked calm and cute, but she also looked like she didn’t have waking up early in her plans. Muriel attempted to shuffle his way from underneath her without startling her so he could start gathering everything for their trip, but the movement was enough to make her whine in her sleep, she moved her head and rested even more of her weight on him. Muriel could feel his blush creeping down his shoulders, his nervousness increasing and his heart getting ready to give up whenever.

He freezes for a second, waiting for her to go back to her peaceful slumber before moving again- as he did so, he noticed she was moving with him and if he got up, there was no way he could do it without also getting her to awaken. Muriel groans a little, no matter how much he tells himself that he can get this done- he also doesn’t like dealing with this extra trouble- he moves mindlessly this time, too focused on his own thoughts to really notice that Sitare was shifting again, bringing one hand to her eyes to rub the sleepiness off of them.

“Mu…ri…?”

He doesn’t register the nickname he’s been called by due to how surprised he is to hear her voice, raspy but audible- she still has her other hand on his chest and most of her body is on top of his, though, she doesn’t seem to mind the closeness.

“…Good morning… how late is it?”

“It’s still early. W-we can progress if we… start soon.” As much as he tried, his embarrassment was still going out of its way to make it hard for him to speak- did it really have to get the best of him at a time like this?

Sitare’s eyes land on his and they hold eye contact for a little while, she was failing to notice the extent of his blush- still struggling to regain all of her consciousness before calling herself fully awake. It took her a moment, but once everything within her was functioning properly- she blushed almost as much as he did and moved away so he could have some space and get up. They had spent the night together and she did feel rested, but now she had grown aware of how close they had been- her fluttering heart wanting to give her away.

“Then-“ her voice wavers on her, she shuffles in place and gets the blankets off of her- shifting to sit up and get closer to the end of the bed. “We… we should get going, we do want to make as much progress as we can.” This time it was her who left Muriel behind, he was still doing his best to process what had happened before he was ready to get up and start with the day.

Once the two of them were fully awake and with enough focus and energy to go on with their day and their journey, they finished their tasks fairly quickly- the two of them knew what they would need and they had made an effort to get everything ready with anticipation. Muriel checked their bags one last time and closed them- they would decide who carries what later on, but he more or less had already accepted that carrying the heavier things around was his duty… not that he minded.

It seemed too soon, too early to be leaving, when they found themselves in front of the door and with everything prepared- Inanna behind them, sniffing the air curiously and wondering what kind of places they would end up seeing. Sitare huffed, attempting to make herself seem more courageous, took one step closer to the door and opened it after a second of hesitation- she had met a new kind of comfort while living here with this fisherman, but her comfort and safety were not what mattered most, she knew this.

Muriel followed, Inanna almost making him trip when she passed by with excitement, then turned to close and leave his routine behind- a feeling of dread lingering in his being, uncertainty was out there far away from what he had grown used to, he would be temporarily leaving the home he had worked so hard to maintain… and for something he wasn’t aware of until this lady arrived, a month or so ago.

Sitare noticed his doubt- not knowing what to do, she thinks it’s best to take his hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. “We will be back in no time.” Wait- did she just say “we”? A light blush came to her face and she adverted her gaze- Sitare gets close to the door and presses her palm against the wood, forehead soon following. Soft whispers were delivered and some symbols were beginning to carve in the doorframe, casting a light glow that made Muriel notice them.

Once she was done, she slowly backed away and admired her work- it’s one of the few spells she hadn’t figured out on her own, she had learnt it from her father, which could explain the unfamiliar look of the symbols… but Muriel can kind of recognize them.

“What’s…?”

“Protection. We can go and be in peace, nothing will come inside.” Sitare smiled and gestured towards the direction they were headed- the look on her face was enough to reassure Muriel that everything would be fine and he could trust in her skill.

They began their walk, barely exchanging words and remaining focused on their destination- they knew they would find something in there but they really didn’t know what to expect from the forest, what if they found something dangerous? Sitare pointed out how much she had improved her walking and Muriel praised her for it- their conversations were a bit brief and superficial, the feeling of anxiety and tension not allowing them to think of anything else but their fate.

Inanna tried her best at getting the two of them to be more talkative, occasionally bumping Muriel’s leg and nudging Sitare’s hand to get them to say something to the other- they were able to spend time together outside of the place they were in the most, yes, but the situation also was one that they wished they didn’t have to deal with- it would be easier if they didn’t have the responsibility of scouting for an answer to whatever was happening. But alas; here they were.

While walking around town to get to the outskirts of it, some of the local sellers greeted Muriel and asked what he was up to- most of them already knew Sitare’s name but they knew nothing of her story. The fisherman gave short answers with little to no information- they were going out, they had been asked to find something and they would meet up with someone out of town, they would be gone for a couple of days at best and Inanna would be going with them- the same little speech was delivered each and every time they were interrupted.

Being offered whatever they were selling, the white noise created by all the ruckus and movement around the market and all the people chatting all over the zone- they still weren’t able to fully focus on what was going around them, their minds clearly still stuck on the idea of visiting a magical forest- one that isn’t really visited, too! The little information they could find wasn’t exactly comforting, but at least they knew they wouldn’t find anything too deadly.

While they were struggling to get away and out of town, Muriel noticed that Sitare was falling behind and being a bit pushed by the locals- without thinking, he moves to fish her hand and take it in his own to secure her steps. Once she had caught up, she held his arm and did her best to keep up with his pace, this was significantly better than just following him- it also allowed them to be close without making an advance.

This initial contact was what made them more comfortable to keep on talking- soon, the conversations they were used to came afloat and they were able to ignore the rest of the world for a little while. Hearing each other’s voices and sharing some thoughts, experiences and short comments was good enough to lift their spirits and remove the painful dread they had been feeling up until now. Inanna, too, was happier- trotting and with pep on her step, tail wagging.

“So, I was thinking… of perhaps staying like this a bit longer.” Sitare states shyly, not meeting eyes with Muriel- his gaze was always a little bit flustering.

“What? Why? Don’t you want to go back home?” He asks, worried.

“Yes, I do. But- there’s just so many things about the surface I can learn… and I won’t get that information while underwater. Besides… there’s plenty of experiences I want to live.” The maiden explains, unsure of what to say next and unwilling to state one of the other main reasons. “I could spend some more time here before going back, I suppose. I don’t… feel ready to go yet.”

“You’ll be once we’re done in the forest.” Muriel shakes his head, people around him always found something better- they always found something that made them want to go and, well, Sitare already had one to leave. Muriel didn’t see how it made sense to her to want to stay around longer than she needed to- perhaps she had liked the place, maybe she wanted to do something else with her life, there was no way she was staying.

“I don’t know…” she lowers her voice until it’s almost inaudible “not anymore…” Followed by a moment of silence- Sitare could picture herself spending more time with him, travelling and discovering wonders by his side, but she knew her feelings wouldn’t be returned, it was best to leave her fantasies for later… though it was a nice thing to think about, a happy future with someone she was beginning to love helplessly.

As much as they would have preferred to keep talking and forget about their objective, the sight of trees and the entrance of the forest was too close for their comfort- all the nature was beginning to take over and embrace them in welcoming arms, as if the forest had expected them to arrive and had been waiting. They stopped right before entering, Sitare squeezing Muriel’s arm a bit tighter and him allowing her to come closer as a response- it wasn’t intimidating per se, but the aura of ancient magic was too big not to notice.

They looked at each other, Muriel and Sitare meeting eyes for a moment- their expressions reflecting the slight worry and reluctance they were feeling, they could feel something deep inside this forest- calling for their names, waiting for them to find the source of the calls. Sitare tried to be the one that gave a bright smile to make things easier on the two of them- but it seemed that she was far too worried to really do it, though her intention was perceived by Muriel and he nodded to reassure her- they were going to be alright.

Inanna didn’t seem to mind the place they had arrived to, she was curiously sniffing some plants and eyeing the entrance curiously, wagging her tail and waiting for them to follow her- she didn’t seem to be bothered by the energies she could also perceive, which meant there couldn’t be anything too terrible hidden inside this forest- this alone was enough to make the two of them relax noticeably. Not letting go of his hand, Sitare took the first step and looked around- she could start to breathe in the fresh air of the forest getting inside her lungs.

“Hey, if Inanna doesn’t feel anything bad… I think we’re safe.” She joked, trying not to sound too nervous when she says it, blue eyes meeting brown and hoping her light phrase was enough to get him to take the first few steps with her- usually nature was his zone and he was way more comfortable when surrounded by trees, but this time it was different. Muriel seemed to have an internal conflict- a flash of different emotions showing on his face, Sitare got the hint that he might be thinking of running away… but ultimately, he sighed and followed her closely.

Muriel had a feeling he couldn’t quite shake off, no matter how much he wanted to or tried- it’s not that there was something wrong, but he just didn’t feel like things were completely stagnant and still in here, he could tell that he should be keeping an eye out for anything that moved in a way he couldn’t predict or if his surroundings started to change. It felt odd and dumb to be thinking such things- forests don’t change so much so quickly. He shakes his head and returns his attention to Sitare, who insisted on holding his hand, but was looking closely at some flowers near Inanna.

“Let’s keep going. We should make good progress and find a place to camp when night comes.” He mutters, he had gotten more used to speaking more than two or three words at the time- plus, they really should get going. They would have time to look at things once they were done… but, that wouldn’t happen, they would be finished and they would go out immediately.

“Sure, sure.” Sitare squeezed his hand again, signaling at Inanna to come back to them so they could keep going- something similar to a path on the land gave them a hint of where they should be heading, it sure was covered by grass and overgrown plants- but it was still visible enough for them not to have too much trouble when walking around. Inanna was better at keeping track of this little path, guiding them when they were close to going the wrong way with soft barks or by pushing them gently.

They kept on walking, being guided by their senses and by the way nature was shaped around them- at some point during their travel and exploring, they had let go of each other’s hands, Sitare not wanting to get too close to him in case he didn’t feel anywhere close to what she felt and Muriel too embarrassed and self-declared unworthy of being next to her. Trees, flowers, plants and little critters around them all seemed curious about the visitors- they seemed rather welcoming, everything had a light glow to them that was barely visible… perhaps they would be brighter once the sun went down and the moon showed itself.

As they walked further into the forest, they became more aware of the life that was going on around them- noises came from one side and then the other, they weren’t quite sure what the sources were and they didn’t bother to check. Magical creatures could be temperamental and they preferred to remain safe from their possible wrath.

Inanna was a trustworthy guide, though she sometimes stopped to fulfill her own curiosity- Sitare glanced at Muriel every now and then, hoping to meet eyes with him but never making the contact. If only she waited for a little bit longer, she would have seen that he was doing the exact same thing. Being close to him made her feel safe- but it didn’t brush away the feeling that things around them weren’t as simple as they seemed when they didn’t look at them closely enough.

“Should we…” Sitare begins- poking at the little bag he was carrying- “you can read runes and I can read the book we brought, should we start looking for hints and more information on where to go?” Muriel stopped walking and looked around, expecting to see somewhere to sit so the two of them could do their own thing until they found something useful- they did come into this place without a lot of planning. Once they found a place that seemed comfortable and clear enough, they sat down facing each other and allowed Inanna to rest near them.

Sitare took out the book from the bag he had and he took out his pouch of runes- the maiden ran her fingers through the cover and began looking for some kind of passage that gave them an idea of what they should do and where they should be heading. This forest was ancient, way more ancient than they had initially thought- the information written about it was hard to decipher- riddles, phrases that made no sense when you read them the first time- it gave her a headache!

Muriel kept himself to himself and did the quick work he did while reading his runes- he never spoke much when he was using any of his abilities and this one took out some intense focusing from him. It was normal silence came and reigned once more- the two of them spending a good amount of time trying to figure out what to do… and then the two of them felt it, something was different and made them look up from their activities to see what had happened.

“That… tree right there, it…” Muriel stumbled upon his own words, trying to look for the right way to say it while not believing his eyes. “It wasn’t there before, was it.” Of course there was still a wide room for doubt to come in and prove him wrong, but this was just too much for him to be wrong- he couldn’t have imagined something like this.

“It’s blocking the path.” Sitare notices while blue hues trail down the tree trunk and land on the floor- the track they were following so closely was now blocked by all kinds of plants and a strong tree that had no intention of letting them continue that way. “Something wants to get us away from what we need- the forest has other plans, it seems! What an inconvenience.”

She stood up and went to investigate- leaving Muriel still seated, this made him a bit nervous, scrambling up to his feet and catching up with her in no time. It really did seem like the landscape they had previously seen was completely different for no apparent reason- magic forests tend to do that intentionally, there was an objective to it… that or it was toying with them and their patience, Sitare remembered being told that there are some places that just want to tire unwanted visitors until they sit and understand the rules they have to follow.

Muriel took a closer look at the tree and tried his best to listen more closely to his senses and what they were trying to tell him- palm pressing against the wood and feeling the energy coming off of it, he had learned this from Asra a long time ago, being able to perceive nature and other things was something he had practiced on his own. It didn’t feel negative or mischievous, the energy surrounding this tree was more like that of a wise advisor- one that twisted words to make you think and discover things on your own.

Once he fully took in the energy around this tree- a new fear came to him. What if the forest shifted in a way that pushed them away from each other and he wasn’t able to find her?! Muriel turned when nervousness and panic were starting to get a hold of him, expecting to see her gone and away from him- waiting to be all alone and without any guide. To his surprise, his anxiety was soothed when he met eyes with Sitare- his shoulders sank again and he let out a sigh of relief.

“You felt it too, right?” Sitare asks while getting closer to him, placing a hand on his shoulder and reminding him that she is there- she hasn’t gone anywhere. “Like it wants to show us something… but doesn’t want us to get there yet- you felt that, right?”

“Something… like it.” He answers, still unsure of his magical ability but being aware that he had felt something and he couldn’t deny it. Still, his mind was not on the magical issue but on his worry of losing her- as much as he would prefer not thinking about it… he just can’t bring himself to shrug it off when he’s looking at her- just when did he start caring so much for her? Muriel couldn’t understand what his heart was telling him.

Sitare was nudged by Inanna, she turned and followed the wolf closely- leaving Muriel behind again. It took him a couple of seconds to react and start moving, each day it just got harder to understand what he felt- his heartache increased whenever he didn’t voice his thoughts and it was getting harder to keep them inside. Either way, he shook his head and followed her before the forest shifted again and made them lose each other.

Inanna seemed to be following a different path, one that smelled different- she could tell. It would ultimately end up leading them somewhere, right? So they might as well take the risk- Sitare and Muriel looked at her and kept up with her trotting, doing what they could not to lose sight of each other in hopes of having the forest work in their favor.

Sitare hesitated for a second, keeping up but with her steps being more spacey- a sudden flare of insecurity beginning to crawl up her back to choke her, she could sense a magic intervention- the forest was trying to separate them by making them doubt and fall behind. It took her some seconds, but she brushed off the many thoughts of not having the happy ending she hoped for and the helplessness that came with having your heart long for someone you can’t be with. She couldn’t think of herself at a time like this, no matter how much it hurt.

Time became blurry, they weren’t sure for how long they had been following Inanna or for how long the forest was trying to get them too scared to continue- they kept going until the sun began to fade away and leave them, the distant sound of crickets becoming louder and more prominent. They should start preparing the camp, right? Inanna came to a halt and sat down, tired and worn from all the walking and tracking she had done- earning a few pats and ear scratches for her good work.

They walked some more until they found a more or less clear zone where they could rest without a problem- they got to work in silence, but managing to do great teamwork and knowing what they should be doing to get this done faster. It seemed all the time they had spent together had made them understand how the other went around doing tasks- it wasn’t long before everything was ready and they were sitting in front of each other, trying to figure out if they should hunt or if they should use some of the food they brought with themselves.

“Let’s… not waste more energy.” Muriel states, making a point- not really waiting for an answer before getting to cooking. Sitare agreed in silence, getting closer to help him with this and that- only little things that made it easier- the fire they had made kept them safe from the wind that was starting to blow and threaten to get them cold. Silence, Inanna’s snores filling some of that space- if anything, the quiet they shared was not an uncomfortable one.

Once full, they got everything ready to rest for the night. Realistically, sleeping close to each other would be the wisest decision for the two of them- it would keep them warm and aware of where the other was, but their confusion and mixed feelings had contributed to the decision of sleeping by themselves, but near- so there they were, not facing each other and trying to get their breathings calm enough to drift away comfortably.

But alas, silence and stillness is the best place for doubt to come in and fill in every crack it can find until it’s blinding and suffocating- until sleep and rest are but a faraway dream and the only thing left is anguish and uncertainty. Sitare shifted uncomfortably, still attempting to fall asleep so she didn’t have to listen to her own thoughts on the matter- they could never be together, he would never feel the same way for her, their bond was circumstantial, she was sure of that.

Muriel was nowhere near falling asleep- his exhaustion was too great to allow him to keep working, but he was all too aware of what was happening in their surroundings. He had grown used to being a light sleeper- but this was excessive- feeling the light sting in his eyes as he tried his best to give in to unconsciousness and yet… failing each and every time.

Muriel’s thoughts were unkind to him- the harsh way they sounded and delivered messages, the stabbing pain he felt when they repeated hurtful words when it was so quiet- he knew, oh did he know, he’s not worthy of love- he’s not worthy of her effort, he’s not worthy of her attention. Being by her side was only a foolish dream he had spent too much time thinking about- but despite the burning sensation on his chest, the faintest spec of hope remained. It was all too impossible- he told himself, to be loved.

Finally- being tired and beaten up by worry, the two of them fell asleep hoping for a brighter future. The night was calm and still- everything around them kept going without minding them.

Muriel woke up- feeling a lump on his throat that told him something was wrong- he sat up and turned to face Sitare. It was hard to see in the dark, especially one so pure, but with the help of the stars he tried to figure out a shape- anything that told him where she was and if she was awake. He couldn’t risk losing her, as much as he told himself he shouldn’t get too close if he wanted to avoid being hurt- he just couldn’t bring himself to stay away.

Then it dawned on him- she was gone, his surroundings felt unfamiliar too. The forest had shifted during their sleep and now they were apart- anxiety and dread invaded him and made him stand up. Wait- they had brought something for this! He quickly turned to check if the bag with items was still with him- crouching in front of it to search through its contents faster.

Once he finds it, he lights the lamp as fast as he can and turns to look for the maiden.

“Sitare?” His voice shakes and fails him. This couldn’t be happening- no, no, his fears were coming true. “Sitare- are you around? Wake up” Of course he felt desperate to find her- they didn’t know what lurked in the dark and he wasn’t there to keep her safe… he turns his head again, in this and that direction looking for his wolf companion- being unable to find her, he guesses that at least they are together.

Still, he doesn’t want to give up- his search is more insistent, walking around the immediate zone to try and see if she was still near him, calling her name and having his voice go hoarser and louder when his heartache increased and worsened. “Si…Sitare, where are you?” It’s beginning to come clear: she’s not close, she’s gone and she’s lost- he has to find her! He’s grown used to her presence and the forest feels empty- he’s worried, what if she gets hurt?

He places the lamp on the grass next to the spot he was resting in, sits on the cushiony bag and lets his head fall into his hands- he could feel the forest beginning to close on him, making him feel trapped and small. His heartbeat was painful- the mere thought of losing her was unbearable, but he couldn’t get himself to move from his sulking spot, fear paralyzed him and he allowed it to.

If only he had been more careful, more honest, and more open- this wouldn’t have happened.

In another part of the forest, Sitare rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she searched for the man she planned to give her heart to- finding an empty spot and a worried wolf tracking his smell.

“Muriel?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I've taken so long to complete this chapter! I've been busy with school and personal things- but I'm really excited to complete this story! Besides- I read some tags left on my work and it's been really helpful for me to remain motivated!! I like writing and I'm just really happy to keep up with my writing <3 I would appreciate thoughts! I'm pumped to keep going- I'm also really, really excited to be working on more fics. Anyway- love y'all!
> 
> **\- Tonatiuh.**


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